Unintended consequences
by Transparent Existance
Summary: When Drake and Josh finally prank Meghan, she gets mad and gets them back. But things dont go the way she planned, and the boys may never forgive her for what happens.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Drake and Josh.

**Warning:** This fic is rated M for some language, rape and self- mutilation in later chapters.

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They had her this time. After all of the pranks she'd pulled over on them they were finally going to pull one over on her. Drake and Josh waited on the sofa watching television as Meghan came in from Obo practice and headed toward the kitchen.

"Hey boobs." She said passivly as she passed them.

"Hey." They replied in unison as they tried not to laugh.

She looked ast them quizically and shrugged them off. She entered the kitchen and opened the freezer for a popsickle. There was only one left in her favorite flavor. She opened it, and her eyes narrowed. It was half eaten.

Meghan stormed into the living room, holding the popsickle in white-knuckled fists. "Wich one of you did this?" She asked angrily.

They both shook their heads. "What do you mean?" Josh asked, as honestly as possible.

"One of you ate half of my popsickle and put it back!"

"No we didn't." Drake said.

"yeah." Josh piped in. "It was sealed, wich means we couldn't have done it."

Meghan glarred at them. "I know one of you did it." She said, throwing the melting popsickle at them.

They watched innocently as she stormed up the stairs, waiting for the scream that soon followed. This time, they couldn't hold back their laughter. She came back down the stairs, cheeks burning red as pudding and painted pink gummi worms dripped from her hair and shoulders.

Drake stood up, laughing. "What happened, did you fall in the dirt?"

"We got you!" Josh pointed, smiling wide. "We finally got you!"

Drake walked over to her, grabbing a small handfull of gummi worms and pudding off her shoulder and eating it. He frowned at the taste of the paint, and shrugged it off.

"You boobs are gonna pay for this." She promised as she stormed off.

"She seems really mad." Josh said, chuckling.

"Who cares." Drake said, sitting back on the couch. "We finally got her."

"Yeah." Josh said, sitting next to him. He looked over toward Drake, smile fallen to a frown. "You know that she's gonna get us back…"

"…Yeah…" Drake said. "But how bad could it be, she's been pranking us for years."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

The next day Drake came bursting into the house, hand raised in the air holding his cell phone triumphantly. "Josh! Dude, Josh!"

"What?" Josh asked, peaking out from the kitchen.

"Twins!" Drake panted, trying to catch his breath. "Me and you…date…hot twins!"

"Really!" Josh said, dropping his sandwich.

"Yeah," Drake said, opening the phone. "They sent me a picture, they want to meet us tonight!"

Josh looked at the photo, eyes widening. They were hot. "Where are we meeting them?"

"At the Sushi bar downtown. Tonight at seven." Dake said.

Josh grinned. "We've got dates with twins!"

Megan listened to them from the stairs, smiling. As soon as they left she'd begin sabotizing their room. Their date was just a set up, she'd taken that picture from the internet and sent the fake messages to get them out of the house. They'd be so let down when the girls never showed up they wouldn't even think to check the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I realize that the first chapter was short, and, well, not my best work. It was mainly just an introduction to the rest of the fic. Deeper thoguht and better description are here to stay!

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Drake and Josh got to the Sushi Bar thirty minutes early, waiting excitedly for their dates to arrive. Josh was nervous, pacing around the entrance and trying to control the tick that was brewing toward the surface. Drake was his usual cool self. Leaning against the building and brushing his hands over his hair. Girls had a way of getting there at the right time, he wasn't worried.

An hour later:however, they started getting nervous. The girls werent returning their messages and they were getting hungry. They went inside and ordered a few rolls while they waited. They picked at the food as their spirits fell. Drake tried to call the girls a few more times, but every time it went straight to voicemail.

"I don't think they're coming." Josh said as he ate the last of his Sushi.

Drake didn't want to believe it. He was Drake, he didn't get stood up. "No way." He said, trying to shrug off Josh's words. "They'll be here."

Josh sighed and nodded. Drake seemed pretty sure that they'd be there, so he was content with waiting a little longer. But a little longer soon became another hour, and it was eight thirty. He turned his eyes to Drake's again, a frown on his face. "They arnt coming."

Drake looked at his phone one more time. No new messages, and none of his calls had been answered. "I guess your right…"

The waitor approached their table, looking ragged and tired. "We close at nine." He said, handing them their check and walking away.

"You wanna go?" josh asked, he could tell that his dissapointment didn't match Drale's.

"Yeah." Drake said, grabbing his phone from the table and checking it again. He saw the little envelop appear in the corner and quickly opened his inbox. There was a text from the girls!

_Sorry boys, we found better dates._

Drake showed the message to Josh, who scoffed after reading it. "We've been waiting for over two hours and all they had to say was sorry?"

"Guess so." Drake said as he shoved his phone into his pocket.

They paid their bill and headed outside, heads down and frowning. They had to walk to the car, which was about five minutes down the street. The downtown street was eerily quiet as they headed toward the car. It was parked a few feet away from an empty allyway, the stink of the trash cans drifting on the night breeze.

It was as Josh was fumbling with the keys that they noticed the group of teenagers standing in the alleyway. There were five of them, all boys looking around the ages of eighteen to twenty.

"Nice night, isn't it?" One of them asked, stepping forward.

"Sure." Drake replied, backing up against the still locked car.

"Where ya going in such a hurry?" Another of the boys asked, taking a few steps toward Drake.

"Home." Josh said, forgetting about the car keys in his hands as he watched the group slowly surrounding them.

"Not yet your not." The oldest looking one said, walking up to Josh and starring him down.

"What do you want." Josh asked meekly, trying to hide his fear.

"Your wallets." The one infront of Josh said cooley as he pulled out a knife.

The other four pulled out their knives, all smiling cruely as they waited. Two stood near Josh, two around Drake and one infront of the car.

The boys pulled out their wallets and handed them over, watching with wide eyes and the gang looked through them.

"That's all the money we have," Josh said. "Can we please go now?"

The boy infront of Josh turned away from the wallet and smiled. It gave Josh goosebumps to see those lips curl into that dangerous grin. "I don't think so." He replied.

"Why not?" Drake said, stepping forward, trying to look mean.

The one infront of Josh nodded, and his followers began to move in. The two nearest Drake moved forward, backing him into the car before grabbing him. A hand was thrust over his mouth before he could call out for help, and a knife put to his throat.

The leader turned to Josh, who was surrounded on both sides by the remaining boys. "Give me your keys." He ordered, nodding toward Drake. "Or thet'll cut him open."

Josh handed him the car keys. "We don't have anything else." He voice shook. "Please, let us go."

The leader nodded to the followers around Josh, and in seconds one of them had a hand over his mouth and a thick arm around his waist. "Bring 'em into the ally." He ordered, following behind his men as they forced Drake and Josh into the dimmly lighted allyway.

"If you boys want us to let you leave here without a couple of fatal wounds, you'll do excatly as I say. Understand?"

Drake and Josh nodded, unable to answer vocally.

"Good," The leader's voice sailed. "Mitch, Sean, get that one on his knees and hold him their." He said to the two that had Drake.

Drake shuddered as he was forced to his knees, Mitch's hand still over his mouth, squeezing his cheeks painfully as he used his free hand to hold Drake's wrists behind his back. Sean pressed the knife against his throat, the cold steel sending shivers down his spine.

The leader turned his attention toward Josh, who was trembling fiercly. "Get that one on his knees Patrick." The leader said to the man holding Josh.

Josh could feel his heartbeat pounding as he became more afraid of what they were planning. His knees hit the hard ground, sending waves of pain up his legs. Like Mitch, Patrick kept one hand over Josh's mouth and the other around his wrists.

The leaded kneeled down, looking Josh in the eyes. "You're going to do what I tell you too, Or your buddy over there dies. Understand?"

Josh nodded, looking past the leader toward Drake. He was shaking half as much as Josh was. But there was undeniable fear in his eyes.

"Good." The leader said. "I hope your good with your mouth." He laughed as Patrick moved his hand from Josh's mouth to his hair, grabbing it and pulling his head back.

"Please don't do this," Josh pleaded as Ryan put his knife away and stood before him, unfastening his pants.

"Did I tell you to beg." The leader asked sarcastically. Josh shook his head as tears formed in his eyes. "Then don't." He looked at Ryan, and nodded.

Ryan slapped Josh twice before presenting his gentals to him. "No teeth, or I'll be the one to slit that ones throat." He growled before forcing it into Josh's mouth.

Josh tried not to think about it as Patrick used his grip on his hair to jerk his head back and forth. He clenched his eyes shut and focused on the tears burning over his cheeks as Ryan laughed. He felt Ryan's body convulse and then pull away as the bile rose and Josh jerked his head forward, despite Patrick's hold on his hair to vomit.

"Gross." Ryan snorted, hitting him again.

"Sean?" The leader said, watching as Sean put his knife away and walked over toward Josh.

Not again! Josh thought as his body trembled and the tears continued to fall. He wasn't given a chance to say anything before Sean had his pants around his ankles and his member jammed down Josh's throat. All he could do was cry and wait fir it to end.

The leader walked over to where Mitch was holding Drake. "You want a crack at that one?" He asked, gestering toward Josh.

"Yeah,: Mitch said, waiting for the Leader to get a firm hold on Drake's wrists before getting up and stepping forward.

"No more," Josh begged between sobs as Mitch unbottoned his pants. "Please…"

The leader pulled Drake's head back, expossing his throat as he starred Josh coldly in the eyes. "Do it, or he dies."

Drake squrmed in the leaders grasp while trying to tell Josh he didn't have to do it. He didn't care if they actually went through with killing him, he couldn't let Josh do this to protect him.

"Shut up!" the leader said, pressing his hand harder against Drake's mouth. He leaned forward, smelling drake's hair before whispering: "You're next."

Mitch wasn't gentle at all. He took Josh's hair in his own hands, pulling on it mercilously as he moved in violent rhythm. He hit Josh multiple times until finally he exhausted himself. Again, Josh trew up on the pavement, choking and sobbing as he tried to see past the blurry screen of tears over his eyes.

"Hold him." The leader commanded Mitch as he refastened his pants. Mitch slapped Josh hard across the face before getting behind him and taking Patrick's place. He held onto him much tighter then Patrick had, crushing his wrists in his grasp. He then forced the side of his fist into Josh's mouth, loving the feel of teeth against his flesh.

"Get over here and hold this one down." The leader said, waiting untill Sean was closer to push Drake into him, scraping his knees against the pavement.

The leader forced Drake unto his back, holding him down until Sean had a firm hold on his wrists and a hand over the mouth in his lap. Drake looked up in terror as Ryan and Patrick each grabbed one of his legs, holding them down.

"Same goes for you." The leader said to Drake. "If you don't cooperate, we kill your buddy."

Drake tried to pull his wrists free as he pleaded for them not to do it. The leader removed his own pants, then went to work on removing Drake's. He shut his eyes and cried as he felt the man touching his thighs, moving toward his waist. He tried not scream, but when the leader forced himself inside of him, it was all he could do. Cry and scream as he felt his body being torn apart.

Josh watched helplessly, Mitch's fist still jammed within his mouth, preventing every plead he had for them to stop. No one was listening to his formless words, but he kept trying. He closed his eyes because he could bare to watch what the leader was doing to Drake, but he could still hear thoose muffled screams.

Drake felt the sweat fall from the leaders greasy hair onto his stomach and thighs and he shuddered. The leader cackled as he drove harder, untill finally he was finished with Drake. He leaned forward, starring into Drake's teary eyes and smiled.

"Did you like that, Little whore?" He spat.

Drake turned his face away and contunied to cry.

"Ryan, Patrick," The leader said, pulling his pants back on. "Your turn."

By the time it was finally over Josh's throat was sore from violation and screaming. Drake's wild pleas had become mere whimpers and his body a mass of pain. Sean let go of Drake, laughing as he curled into himself on the ground, trying to sheild himself from the people who'd hurt him. Mitch released Josh, ignoring him as he fell to the pavement weakly.

The leader stood between them, looking from one to the other with laughter in his eyes. He pulled a ten dollar bill from Drake's wallet and let it fall to the ground. "Thanks for the lay boys. It was a pleasure."

He signalled his men and they walked away, never looking back.

Josh crawled over to Drake, he was shaking and mumbling incoherently. "Drake?" He didn't get much of a response. Carefully, Josh helped Drake back into his pants, ignoring the blood on Drake's thighs. He then pulled Drake to his feet, holding him up. "We need to get to a hospitle." He said hoarsly.

Drake nodded, holding onto Josh for support as they walked out of the ally, leaving the ten dollar bill to sink in a puddle or vomit and semen.

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The nurse looked up from the reception desk, frowning as she watched two teenage boys stumble into the hospitle. They looked terrible, like they'd been in some kind of fight, or were full of drugs. "Can I help you?' She asked, looking over them again as they got closer.

"We need help…" Josh said hoarsly. Drake's head fell onto his shoulder as he began to loose streangth in his legs again. He was crying again.

"What happened?" The nurse asked.

"We were raped…" Josh said quietly, memories flashing.

'What?' the nurse asked in disbelief.

"We were raped." Josh said again before falling into tears.


	3. Chapter 3

Discliamer: I don't own Drake and Josh

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They waited on the hard waiting room chairs untill the doctor's arrived. Drake sat leaning into Josh's arm, taking comfort in his presence. His tears had finally dried from the exhaustion, but he was trobbing with pain and sorrow. He knew that Josh was hurting too, could feel him shaking, but he couldn't bring himself to more to comfort him. He hadnt said a word to Josh, or the nurse the whole time.

The older, male doctors stopped to talk to the nurse before approaching the boys, followed by a pair of police officers.

"Hello boys," the older of the two doctors said, his voice friendly, but tired. "I'm Dr. Stein, and this is Doctor Todd. We're going to examine you. We'll need to look you over, and take blood samples for tests to make sure you havent contracted anything."

Josh nodded, his grip on Drake's shoulder tightening.

Dr. Todd stepped forward. "The police are here to take statements, you're not in any trouble." He said, trying to relax them. "We'll have to call your parents, as your both seventeen and underage."

Both boys flinched. They didn't want anyone to know. Not these doctors, not the police, never their parents. What would they think of them?

Dr. Stein noticed their discomfort and sighed. This had to be hard for them. "Drake, if you'll come with me, and Josh, you go with Dr. Todd we can get the examination done so you can go home."

Drake looked up to Josh, his eyes widening. He didn't want to be alone.

"Can't we go together?" Josh asked, voive starting to shake.

"I'm sorry boys," Dr. Todd said. "You each need a different examination and need to give your own statements."

Dr. Stein approached Drake, placing a hand on his arm. "Come on."

Finally Drake's silence shattered. He hooked his arms around Josh and yelled. "No!" He closed his eyes. "Don't touch me!"

Dr. Stein looked to Josh for help. He understood the boys fear, he'd dealt with it before, but they had to do this.

"It'll be okay," Josh said soothingly. "We'll be together as soon as they're done." The words felt empty and trecherous. He didn't want Drake to be alone right now, and he didn't want to be alone. He needed to be with Drake, because Drake was the only thing keeping him strong.

"Josh, please," Drake begged, looking up at his brother.

Josh felt Drake being torn from his arms as one of the doctor's assistants came over and gently grabbed his arm, pulling him away. "Josh!" Drake cried as he was stood up and lead toward a corridor to the left. He pulled against the man leading him, his arms streached out toward Josh.

"Don't hurt him!" Josh yelled, tears burninin his eyes as he watched Drake being lead away. He pushed himself to his feet and tried to follow, only to find himself held back by another assistant.

:Your brother will be fine." Dr, Todd tried to assure him as he turned toward the same corridor. "You'll be in the room a few doors down, if he really needs you you can go to him."

"Do you promise?" Josh asked, eyes glarring and voice cold.

"Yes." Dr. Todd said.

Josh shrugged off the assistant and follwed Dr. Todd down to corridor, into an empty, white room. He sat on the examination table, waiting for it to begin.

The officer approached him, a pen and notepad open. "A your own pace, can you tell me as much as you can?"

Josh closed his eyes and nodded. "We were waiting for a couple girls to meet us at the Sushi bar…" He began, clenching his fists. He told the Officer about the wait, about walking to the car where the gang had been waiting. His voice shook as he told him about the men, what they had looked like. How they had held knives to their throats and forced them into that ally. The things that had happened there… He couldn't stop the tears as the memory of what had happened played before his eyes as he spoke it out.

The officer put a hand on Josh's shoulder. "We'll try to find them." He promised as he left the room.

~.~.~.~.~.

Dr. Stein and the other officer were having no luck with Drake. He didn't want to be touched, and he wouldn't talk to either of them.

"I know this is hard for you," Dr. Stein tried. "But we have to do this."

Drake pulled his knees toward his chest protectivly, not looking at either of them. He was afraid of what they must be thinking. Of their hands being near him. He wanted Josh, he just wanted to feel safe.

Dr. Stein motioned toward the Officer and they stepped outside the room. "I'll have to get his parents permission to sedate him…"

The officer nodded, looking down the hall to here his partner was leaving Josh's room. "Did you get a statement Miles?"

"Yeah," Miles said, shaking his head. It had been a brutal story, and it left him feeling uneasy. "Any luck with the other one?"

"He wont let us near him." Grant said. "We need to wait for the parents, to talk to them."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It was ten thirty when the phone began ringing, Stirring Audrey and Walter from the movie they had been watching. She handed the bowl of popcorn to Walter and walked over toward the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, this is the san Diago hospitle. Is this Audrey or Walter Nichols?"

Audrey stood silent for a moment. "This is Audrey Nichols…"

Walter looked at her, concerned.

"My name is Dr. Richard Stein, I'm calling about your sons, Drake and Josh."

Megan had gotten bored waiting for the boys to get home and walk into their booby-trapped room. She couldn't understand what was keeping them, but she was getting annoyed. She heard the phone rining from their room, and headed out. Maybe they;d gotten in trouble, and were gonna get grounded! She smiled mischiviously ans she crept down the stairs to eavesdrop.

Audrey looked over toward Walter. "The boys are at the hospitle…" She said before turning her attention back toward the phone. "What happened?" She asked.

There was a pause on the line before Dr. Stein continued. "Your sons were mugged," His voice dropped. "And raped."

"What?" She asked, voice barly a whisper as she leaned into the wall.

"They were raped, they're here at the hospitle, we're rting to examine them but were having trouble getting near Dake. I need your permission to sedate him."

"Sedate him?" She asked, her voice colder then she had intended.

"Yes," Dr. Stein said, hesitating. "We need to examine him, and get a blood sample so that we can check for STDS or anything else his attackers might carry."

Audrey held the phone with white knuckles, looking to Walter with wide eyes.

"What happened to the boys?" Walter said, getting up and walking toward her.

"They were raped…" She said, voice trembling as she leaned toward Walter for support. "They want permission to sedate Drake, to examine him…"

Walter took Audrey into his arms and carefully took the phone from her. "This is their father." He said, as strongly as he could while his mind tried to process what she had just told him.

""Mr. Nichols it is very important that we examine your son Drake." Dr. Stein said again.

"Okay." Walter said, gritting his teeth. "Can we come in to see the boys?"

"Of coarse," Dr. Stein said. "Our receptionist knows to allow you to their rooms as soon as you get here."

"Thank you…" Walter said before hanging up the phone.

He looked down to Audrey, who was shaking in his arms. "Lets go."

She nodded, moving toward the stairs. "Meghan, we're going to get Drake and Josh she called, not knowing that Meghan was sitting on the landing, she had heard…

She wrapped her arms around her knees, trying to shake away tears as the tried to convince herself that she had misheard what her mom had said to Walter. They couldn't have been…raped…

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Two assistances went into Drake's room with Dr. Stein. They approached Drake cautiously, taking hold of his arms and restraining him as he began to fight them off and scream. Dr. Stein shook his head, pittying the boy as he injected him with the sedative.

"Shh." He said, pulling the needle out. "Everything's going to be okay."

Drake shook his head, tears streaking across his face. _It will never be all right._ he thought before slipping into darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Drake and Josh, nor am I profitting from this written work.

**A/N:** I know little to nothing about Hospital protocal, so if I've done badly with these hospital chapters I apologize.

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They arrived at the hosipital, a mass collection of broken nearves and anxiety. In a near sprint they made their way to the receptionist's desk, damanding to see their boys in between gasps for air. They needed to see their boys, with their own eyes, to know that they were for the most part, all right.

Dr. Todd approached them, scraching his balding head with sorrowful eyes. He couldn't imagine being a parent facing such a situation. "Mr. And Mrs. Nichols?" he asked.

"Yes," Audrey said, stepping forward. "Where are our boys?"

"Right this way," he said, gesturing for them to follow. "The boys have been through a traumatic experince," he explained. "The muggers orally raped your son Josh, and the physically raped Drake. He is in another room, the sedative has eased him to sleep. "

Audrey's breath caught and shuddered as Walter's hands became fists, fingernails biting into the flesh of his palms until they bleed.

"There's little to no physical damage, and the police have Josh's statement and discriptions of the muggers." Dr. Todd said as they stopped outside of Josh's door. "Josh is in here." He said.

Audrey stuck out a shaky hand and turned the knob, pushing open the door to the too white room, where Josh sat on a still made beed, his knees to his chest.

"Josh," Audrey breathed his name as she moved to his side, dropping the bag with the change of clothes she'd brought and wrapping her arms around him.

He had intended to be strong infront of his parents. He wasn't going to cry, he wasn't going to steal the comfort of their arms in hope that it would ease the pain. But when he saw them in that doorway, all of his walls crumbled. He felt his mother's arms surround him and he fell into them, eambraceing her back and burrying his head into her shoulders as the tears fell. Did this make him weak? He didn't care right now. He clung to his mother as his body shook with tears he'd tried so hard to hold deep inside.

Walter slowly walked toward his son, seeing the pain he was in brought tears to his eyes. But he needed to be strong for Josh, to show him that everything would be okay, that he still loved him. He placed a hand on his son's shoulder, seeing the tears in his eyes as Josh turned toward him, wrapping his arms around him.

"Don't worry…" Walter said quietly. "We're here."

Josh nodded, hesitantly letting go of his father to whip away the tears. "Where's Drake?" he asked, voice trembaling. "They took him away, where is he?"

"He's sleeping in another room." Audrey said, wanting to see him too. "I brought you these…" She said, fishing a tee shirt and some jeans out of the discarded bag.

"Thanks." Josh said, feeling the fabric beneath his fingers as he realized how much he hated the clothes he was wearing. "Can I be alone?" he asked.

'Of coarse." Audrey said, hessitantly getting up and walking toward the door. "We'll be right outside, then we'll get Drake." She promised.

Josh waited untill the door closed to get up, walking to the small bathroom in the room he flicked the light on and turned toward the mirror. There were bruisess on his face where Mitch and Ryan had hit him, at the corner of his mouth, on his cheek. Violent, mercilous bruises. He pulled his clothing off, cringing as his pants pulled at the scabe that had healed to them where his knees had been scraped on the ground. There were bruises and blood there.

He remembered the blood that he had seen on Drake's thighs and shuddered. He quickly pulled the new clothes on, throwing the others into the trash and walked toward the door. He wanted to be out of this hospitle. He hated hospitals.

As promised, his parents were waiting outside the door, their faces offering tired smiles as they waited for him. He stepped into the hallway and nodded his head as Dr. Toss lead them to Drake's room.

"The sedatives will keep him asleep untill around noon tomorrow." Dr. Todd said, opening the door.

Lying on the hard hospital bed was Drake, laying deciptivly peaceful. If it werent for the firngertip bruises around his mouth where their attackers hands had held him quiet he'd look almost normal.

Tears fell from Audrey's eyes as she walked toward her son. Sitting on the edge of the bed and brushing the hair from his face. She listened to every slow, deep breath, falling into them and thanking each one. Her son was alive, and right now she couldn't ask for more. She wrapped her fingers around hisand squeezed his hand.

"Can we take him home?" She asked, eyes pleading.

Dr. Todd looked to Dr. Stein, unsure.

"We'd like to keep him until he wakes up." Dr. Stein said cautiously. "He was a bit hysterical before we sedated him, and I'd like to make sure he isnt going to hurt himself after he wakes up."

Dr. Todd turned to Josh, offering a faint smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Josh said emptily, his eyes never leaving Drake. "Can I stay with him?"

It was hard for Dr. Todd to tell Josh no. "He needs his rest, and so do you. If all is well tomorrow, you and your parents can come in and take him home." He said, more to Audrey and Walter then to Josh.

"We'll need you to fill out some forms," Dr. Stein said, heading toward the door.

Walter placed a hand on Josh's shoulder, nodding. 'All right." He said, leading Josh out of the room. Audrey was secound behind them, her steps hesitant. She didn't want to leave Drake here, alone.

Josh found himself sitting in the hard waiting room chairs again as his parents filled out papers and talked to the doctors in quiet voices. He fiddled his fingers to try and keep calm, to resist the urge to run to Drake's room and lock himself in. He wanted to be by Drake's side when he woke up in this place. More then anything though, Josh didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to face tonight without Drake by his side.

Audrey walked over to Josh, her eyes red from tears. "You ready to go home?"

Josh shook his head. "I wanna stay with Drake."

I know." She said, eyes welling up again. "I do to. But the doctors are going to call us as soon as he wakes up."

Josh didn't say anything, he just nodded and forced himself to his feet. Step by step he followed his parents to the car, climbing into the bed and resting his forhead against the cold glass. His tears were silent as they crept down his cheeks.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Meghan walked through the boy's room, disabling the mechanisms she'd taken so much pride in assembaling. Every trick she'd planned was torn down as her tears fell, leaving a transparent trail of where she'd been. She didn't want what she'd heard to be true. If that had really happened to her brothers, for the sake of some stupid prank she'd never forgive herself.

She took off her glove and whipped away the tears, but they kept coming. _Please don't let it be true_. She preyed as she turned off the light to their room and walked into her own. She crawled into her bed, curling up as small as she could before letting the full cries escape her throat.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Drake and Josh.

**A/N:** this chapters shorter then the previous ones, I have a lot to do today, and I really just wanted to get everyone home so the rest could begin.

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When he opened his eyes, everything was bright. The sun bounced off of the white walls and the metal rails of the bed, hurting his heavy eyes. It wasn't until Drake rolled over to take cover from that light, and his body twitched with pain that he realized he wasn't in his bad. Despite the pain he shot up, sitting upright and looking around the room nervously.

"You're awake." Came a soft, starled voice.

Drake looked wide eyed at the nurse, remembering that he'd been in the hospital the night before. In the hospital because he and Josh… Josh!

"Where's Josh?" he asked, voice desperate in his anxiety.

The nurse shook her head, unsure of what he was talking about. "I'll get your Doctor, he'll know." She said with a reasurring smile before leaving the room.

Drake pulled his knees to his chest, resting his head against them as he remembered the night before. He could still smell the filthy ally, fell its rough pavement on his skin. His hands trembled as tears burned within his eyes. He didn't want to remember.

He jumped when he heard the door open, watching as one of the Doctors from last night walked in. "Drake, how are you feeling?" Dr. Stein asked.

"Fine." He said shakily. "Where's Josh?'

"He went home with your parents last night." Dr. Stein said. "They'll be on their way shortly to take you home as well." He waited for a response, but received none. "Now, tell me how you are this morning. Honestly."

Drake shrugged. "Sore." He said simply. "Angry, scared…"

Dr. Stein nodded. All were understandable. "What you went through last night was terrible,"

"I don't want to talk about it." Drake snapped, shocked by his own tone.

'All right." Dr. Stein said, not wanting to push him. "I'll send your parents in when they get here."

Drake nodded. He had nothing to say to this Doctor. He didn't know if he wanted to see his parents, for them to see him. What would they think of him after what had happened? It wouldn't be the same, it wouldn't be okay. He wasn't okay.

Josh was practically on his parents heels as they walked into the hospital, through the same corridors they had last night until they were finally at Drake.s door. Dr. Stein met them there, greeting them with a tired smile aand a firm handshake.

"He seems all right." He said to Audrey. "You can take him home as soon as he's ready to go."

"Thank you." Audrey said, moving past him and into Drake's room.

She looked at her son, knees curled to his chest, brown eyes wide, yet distant, and her breath caught in her throat. He seemed so different, so isolated. Small against his surrounding and afriad. She hurried to his side and brought him into her arms. She never wanted to let him go.

He didn't cry as she held him close. He simply sat there, absently wrapping his arms around her,and taking warmth from their protectice hold. He could feel her tears on his shoulder, leaking through the hospital gown and sliding over his skin.

"It's going to be okay." She whispered, pulling away and looking into his eyes.

"Yeah…" He replied distantly, turning away from her to look at Walter, and then josh. It wasn't until he saw his brother that his eyes burned and a tear fell.

Audrey looked from Drake to Josh and nodded. "We brought you some clothes." She said, wiping her eyes and handing Drake he bag. "We'll leave you here to get dressed while we fill out your release papers, okay?"

"Thanks." Drake said, accepting the clothes.

Josh waited until his parents had left the room to slowly approach Drake. He was different then he had been last night, lost somehow. "Drake?" He said softly, stepping forward untill he was beside his brother.

Drake trew his arms around Josh, holding him tightly as his tears finally fell. "It's not going to be all right." He cried, shaking his head.

Josh's tears fell silently as he held his brother, feeling drake's body shake as he cried. Honestly, right now he felt the same way as Drake did. Nothing would ever be the same, and it certainly wasn't going to be all right anytime soon. But he had to be strong for Drake, and for himself. They had to get through this, no matter how long it took.

They were just finisheing the paperwork when Drake and Josh walked through the hall enterance, both looking worn and shaky. Every step Drake took showed the pain he was still feeling.

Audrey held out her hands to her boys, smiling gently. "Lets go home."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Drake and Josh

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

He stared at the house from the car window, standing strongly as it always had. The grass even and neat, the windows clean. All of things he wished ne could be. Drale didn't feel strong, he didn't feel clean. He looked to the driveway, seeing their car parked there and turned to Josh. He was sure that gang had taken their keys.

"Dad took the spare keys and got it this morning.' Josh said, head down.

They stepped out of the car and walked toward the house. Though his legs were trembling Drake reused help from anyone. He did his best not to let the pain show.

Meghan was sitting on the couch waiting for them to get home. She'd avoided Josh since he'd been home, but her guilt was overwhelming her. She needed to see her brothers, to know that they were okay.

Her breath stoped when they walked through the door. She saw the bruises on their faces even though their heads were down. She watched the stagger in Drakes step and tears burned behind her eyes.

She was on her feet in moments, running toward them faster then they could comprehend. She threw her arms around Drake first, hugging him tightly.

Drake looked down at his little sister as she clung to him. Josh said that Meghan didn't know, that she was only told that they were mugged. But there was something in the way that she held onto him that lead him to believe that she knew more. She always knew more then they thought she did. Slowly he put his arms around her and whispered softly. "Im okay."

Hesitantly she pulled away from Drake, and trew her arms around Josh. She wanted to tell them that she was sorry, that all of this was her fault. But she was afraid. Afriad of their hate, and afraid of admitting out load that this had happened all so that she could prank them back.

Josh smiled softly at Meghan, hugging her back. "Im okay too." He said, trying to believe it. "Just a little roughed up."

She backed away from her brothers. She wouldn't cry in front of them so she ran toward the stairs, to the safty of her room. They were lying to her and she knew it. Drake's face had been so empty, and the smile Josh had given seemed so fake. She closed her bedroom door, locking it before sitting at her desk. Finally she could let the tears fall. Through the cloud of tears she saw the disposable cell phone she had used to trick the boys into going to the Sushi bar. She hated it! She gripped it angerly and threw it into the small pink trash pale beside her desk. She never wanted to see it again.

Audrey watched her daughter run toward her room, tears in her eyes. "She's been upset since last night." She said, remembering the way Meghan had cried when they told her Drake wouldn't be home until morning. She and Walter had agreed that it would be best not to tell Meghen that the boys had been raped.

"She doesn't know." Walter assured them again. She was too young to know that such horrible things happened, and he wanted to protect her from that truth. He didn't like lying to any of his children, but he had to now. For his little girl, for his boys who were all ready going through such a tough time.

Audrey moved toward the kitchen, trying a smile. "I'm going to make lunch now, I'll call you boys down when its ready."

Niether Drake or Josh said anything as they headed toward their room. Drake looked at Josh, at the calm that seemed to radiate from him. How had he been able to smile at Meghan like that? Even a fake smile seemed impossible to him right now. He'd never realized how strong Josh could be, maybe usually because he was screaming and flipping out. That was why, even though he hid it, he'd always looked up to Josh, even if he was a goof at times.

When they'd finally made it to their room they each let out a heavy sigh. Josh went to the couch, sitting in the corner and absently turned it to Oprah. He wanted words of wisdom right now.

Drake moved to his dresser, pulling out another change of clothes before stopping next to Josh. "Im gonna take a shower." He said.

Josh nodded. That had been the first thing he'd done when he got home last night, showered, then brushed his teeth over, and over. His throat tightened as he remembered that taste, the things that he'd tried to scrub away. He turned on the couch, sitting on his knees to look at Drake. "It helps." He offered solemly.

"Thanks." Drake said as he left the room.

He stood in the bathroom, hating how clean it was. He wanted to break it, to hurt its empty serenity. He leaned over the sink, looking into his own hollow eyes reflecting back at him. With his own fingers he traced over the finger shaped bruises around his mouth, where their hands had crushed his face in order to silence his screams.

He tore away from his reflection and turned on the water, carefully rmoving his clothes. He felt so vulnerable, broken down and empty. He stepped into the shower, letting the water rush over him as he tried to wash away the memories with the filth. He could still feel them. Holding him down, touching him…

Drake raised the heat until it started to burn, washing himself over and over again. But he could still remember. He scrubbed himself until it atrted to hurt but he could still feel them. He slid down, nearly falling and wrapped his arms around his knees as the water continued to fall and burn. Hot tears hidden by hotter water. He bit down on his hand and he screamed. The sound hidden from anyone else by the running water and closed door.

Audrey layed the sandwiches and macaroni out on the table before walking toward the stairs. "Lunch is ready." She called, trying not to wait at the stairs for them. She wanted to be there for them if they needed her, but she didn't want to crowd them. To make them feel like she was being overly attentive because of what happened. She'd seen enough movies where victims diddnt want to be treated different to know that the boys probably felt the same way.

"Drake?" Josh called through the door. "Lunch is ready."

Drake tured off the water, looking toward the door. "I'll be down in a minute." He replied, voice shaking.

Josh hesitated at the door. He knew what Drake felt like. Like he couldn't clean it away, no matter how hard he'd tried he could still taste them. No matter how much he'd tried to clean it away it was still there. Mocking him. He wanted to wait for Drake, to tell him that someday they might be able to feel right again, but he didn't believe that. Not yet.

He followed Meghan down the stairs and into the kitchen, catching his mom's eyes as he sat down.

"Where's Drake?" She asked, worried.

"He's in the shower." Josh replied. "He'll be down in a minute."

Josh looked down at the food, feeling his throaat tighten again. He tried to push it aside, but as soon as he took the first bite he wanted to brush his teeth again. The feeling of anything inside of his mouth make him nauseous. He wanted to fight it, to push past this new fear. He closed his eyes so that he wouldn't cry. He didn't want his mom to worry, not more then she obviously all ready was. The hardest part was swallowing, trying to force the food down his thrat made him shudder as tears aught harder to break free.

Drake waited until the red from his skin faded to leave the bathroom. He wanted to hide the burning pain that had overwhelmed him, to hide all of the pain he felt. He walked into the kitchen, stopping to look at Josh. He could see how tense Josh was, could see his free hand balled into a fist under the table as he tried to eat the food their mom had set out. He sat down, idley picking at the food. He wasn't hungry, but he knew that he needed to eat, for his mom's sake. He didn't know how they were going to make it through this.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Drake and Josh.

**A/N:** I used Drake Bell's song, 'Somehow' in this chapter, it just kinda worked, ya know?

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

He sat on his bed, arms wrapped around his knees as he starred through the window at the summer twilight. The houses of their neighbors sillohetted against the vivid colors. Drake felt like those houses, black and formless against the dying light of day. He was exhausted, but he was afraid of going to sleep.

Josh entered the room, his toothbrush held tightly in his hand. He looked across the room to Drake, a dark shillohette against the light coming in from the window. "Is that beer?' He asked, seeing the can being loosly held in Drake's hand.

"Yeah," Drake said quietly before taking another drink. "I took it from the fridge in the garage." He looked at Josh, pulling a secound can into view. "Do you want one?"

Josh shook his head. "No thanks. You shouldn't be drinking."

Drake shrugged. "Probably…"

Josh turned his eyes to the floor and crawled into bed. He just wanted to sleep this first night away. He wanted to wake up in the morning and feel better about everything in the morning. "Night." He said, nearly a whisper as he pulled the blankets around himself protectivly.

Drake turned his weary eyes back toward the window, watching the colors fade as the moon began to shine.

"She stares at the moon, Her rhythms out of tune  
>Memories of the past, At the bottom of her glass<br>And resting on her cheek, The imprint of his ring  
>A symbol of the weak, Commissioned by the king<br>Did he tie you down? Did you make a sound?"

He'd been able to see that moon while they held him down, shining down into that filthy place like a spotlight, screaming to the world '_Look here, see the weak boy overcome by monsters_'. Tears fell across his cheeks as he lifted the beer to his lips, finishing it in one long, drawn out swallow. Now the can was as empty as he felt.

He rubbed his hands over his scabbed knees, peeling them away and watching the blood bead and fall. They were still inside of him, he could feel them, the force of their thrusts, the sickening feel as they had exhausted themselves. It was all still there, inside of him, poisoning him.

He wanted them gone! Drake threw himself off of the bed and ran to the bathroom, nearly missing the toilet as he threw up. The tears fell harder as he leaned against the bowl weakly. His cheeks hurt where they had left their finger tip bruises against them.

He should have been stronger. He should have faought harder, screamed more. Drake got up and looked at himself in the mirror, hating what he saw. He hadnt done enough, what had happened to them, it was his fault.

"She falls to her knees, Screaming God please  
>Make something of me<br>Cause I never wanted anything like what I wanna be right now  
>An angel again, An angel again somehow"<p>

His legs trembled and he fell to his knees, hitting the floor with his fist. He hated himself right now, the things he couldn't change, what he hadnt done. He hated all of it! He wanted to be free again, to be clean.

Drake's eyes fell on the razor sitting on the lip the sink. He couldn't… They were in his blood, inside of him and he wanted them gone. With shaky hands he pulled it onto the floor with him, looking at its blades shimmer in the light. He held out his wrists, starring at it before dragging the razor over it. He bit his trembling lip as the blade stung, bringing forth a gush of blood. Dirty blood, and he needed to get rid of it.

_"She remembers his old boots, And the shotgun that he shoots  
>And all she could take, Lies at the bottom of a lake<br>So lift your cig and drag, As you figure out a plan  
>To hide it all away, How could she ever love this man<br>Did you weigh him down? Did he make a sound?"_

Josh lay awake, his pillow wet with tears. What little sleep he'd gotten was filled with twisted memories that made him sick and afriad. The sounds of their feet as they'd approached him, their genitals forced into his face, shooting inside of him. He'd woken up in a lake of tears and cold seat. He didn't know where Drake was, he needed him right now.

He knew that what had happened haddnt been their fault, that if the circumstances had been different none of this would have happened. But he felt that he should have done something more, if not to save himself, then to have saved Drake from what they had done to him. Josh knew that he could push past this, he just needed some more time. But what they'd don't to Drake had been so much more brutal….

Drake could have faught them off and gotten away, but he had stayed. To protect him and keep them from killing him. He had weighed Drake down, been the reason he didnt fight back and run. Drake hadnt blamed him yet, but Josh knew that he must be…

I should have saved him… Josh though as he heard the door open. He looked up, watching Drake walk in. "Drake?"

Drake looked to Josh with shallow eyes. He'd been crying again. "Had to pee…" Drake said absently as he crawled into bed.

"_She falls to her knees, Screaming God please  
>Make something of me<br>Cause I never wanted anything like what I wanna be right now  
>An angel again An angel again somehow"<em>

Josh layed back down, listening to Drake's breathing as it changed to that peaceful sleeping tone. He was going to beat this, and he was going to help Drake beat it too. He promised himself. He couldn't let what happened take over their lives and destroy them. He diddnt want to live that way, and he didn't want Drake to either.

But right now, tonight, tomorrow, he had to help himself. He had to fight the urge to vomit everytime he tried to eat. He looked down at the toothbrush still clutched in his hand, trying to let it go. He couldn't. He didn't want to be dirty, and he diddnt know how many more cleanings it would take to wash away the taste in his mouth.

"_Did he tie you down?  
>Did you make a sound?<br>Did he weigh you down?  
>Did he make a sound? "<em>


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Drake and Josh.

A/N: Sorry for the delay in an update, alots been going on lately and I've been pre-occupied.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Drake diddnt want to get out of bed. He could feel the sunlight beating down on him, telling him to get up. He ignored it. All night he had had nightmares, he wasn't sure that he'd really slept at all. And now, hidden beneath his blanket he examined the cuts upon his wrist. Gingerly, he picked at the scab, watching it bleed. How much blood would he have to drain before he felt clean again?

Josh was sitting in his bed, looking over toward the lump of blanket that was Drake. They'd been home for three days now, and Drake didn't seem any different. He stayed in bed most of the time, hiding away from everyone. Most of the night he tossed and cried, barly sleeping.

"Drake?" Josh said softly. "You awake?"

"Yeah." Drake mumbled.

"Are you getting up?" Josh tried. "I could make lunch?"

"Sure…" Drake said as he pushed aside the blankets, pulling down his shirt sleeve. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

Josh smiled, it felt strange, but good. He pushed himself out of bed and headed down the stairs.

The kitchen smelled like pancakes and fresh squeezed orange juice. He'd slept through breakfast. Josh pulled the ingrediant for the sandwiches out of the refrigerater and layed them out on the counter, staring at them. Eating had been a bit easier these last few days, after long intervals of chewing and consentrating he managed to swallow. He still wanted to vomit everytime he felt the food slide down his throat, the texture of it upsetting his stomach.

But he fought the urge, forced it down and took a moment to just breath. He kept a travel size toothbrush in his pocket at all times though, afraid to be without it. Soon, he knew that soon he could discard it, that he would be over all of this.

He finished the sandwiches and moved toward the staircase. "Drake, food."

No answer. Josh went back to the kitchen and began picking at his food. Just one bite at a time… He closed his eyes and chewed the food, trying not to taste it. He just wanted to get this over with. After a few more bites he looked over to Drake's sandwich, sitting alone on its plate. He pushed himself back up and went back to the staircase. "Drake?"

No answer again. Josh headed up the stairs, first checking the bedroom. He wasn't there, he must be in the the bathroom.

~.~.~.~.~

As soon as Josh had left the room drake dragged himself to the bathroom. He shut the door and leaned against it, staring down at the collection of scars across his wrist. The skin around them was red and irritated. He slid to the floor, hugging his knees to his chest as he started to cry.

It was all his fault, what happened to Josh, what had happened to him! Drake crawled over toward the tub, leaning agianst its cold surface he took the razor into his hand and held it against his wrist. He could still feel them inside of him, holding him down and hurting him. He dragged the cold steel against his wrists, gritting his teeth as the blood came forth.

He heard Josh calling for him, but he wasn't ready for the pain to stop. He needed it. It made him feel better, cleaner. He cut again, watching the drops of blood fall and spatter against the inside of tub. So red…

He could hear Josh calling him again. _Not yet_… He thought as he cut himself again. _Im not ready._. the tears were falling harder. _Im not clean yet!_

Josh could hear crying and his heart sank. He wanted Drake to feel better, to get past all of this. Josh knocked on the door softly. "Drake, are you okay?"

"J-Just a minute." Drakes voice came through the door shakily.

Josh swallowed his polite manner and follwed his intuition. Something wasn't right. He opened the door, and stood in shock as he watched Drake scrambled to grab a towel and try to hide his blood covered wrist. His eyes met Drake's, there was fear and guilt in his eyes.

"Drake…" Josh let his brothers name slip from his lips like a leaf on the breeze. He knelt beside Drake, grabbing his wrist gently and looking at it. "Why…"

Drake turned his eyes away. "I wanted to get them out."

"What do you mean?" Josh asked, tears in his eyes.

"I can feel them inside of me, I'm dirty with them."

Josh wrapped the towel around Drake's wrists, trying to stop the bleeding. "You don't have to do this." Josh said gently.

"I'm sorry, for all of it." Drake said almost too quietly to hear.

Josh looked into Drake's eyes, trying to look comforting. "I'll bring your lunch to our room, okay?" He asked.

Drake nodded, accepting Josh's help to stand up.

Josh waited until Drake had his food to snatch Drake's phone. As he'd suspected, the number for the girls was still in there. He wanted to get ahold of them, to make them feel bad for what had happened because they'd found 'better people' to hang out with.

He was angry about what he'd seen, what Drake was doing to himself. He wasn't mad at Drake, he couldn't be.

He dialed the number, ready to yell and curse like he'd never done befor. Then he heard the chirp-like ringing of a cellular phone. He hung up, then dialed again. Josh felt like an empty shadow as he followed the sound, it was coming from Meghan's room. He hung up, then dialed one more time. He walked in, he didn't care if her room creeped him out. He followed the chirping to the trash can beside her desk and picked through the waded up papers to the discarded phone.

His grip tightened until the phone cracked as he starred down at it. _Meghan!_

He heard the gasp from the doorway, turned his eyes and saw meghan standing there, terror on her face.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Drake and Josh, nor am I profiting from this written work.

A/N: Finally! Time enough to update! I know it isnt much, but, hopefully the next bit will be up by thurseday.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Josh starred at Meghan, his eyes narrowing as the anger flew through his viens with every beat of his heart. "You?"

Meghan stepped into her room, tears in her eyes as she tried to take the phone away from Josh. Her words were buried by tears cought in her throat. She didn't want them to know!

"You were the reason we went out there, the reason…" He didn't want to say it. He knew that she knew what happened.

"Josh please," She begged. "I didn't know…"

His anger took over. "What?" He growled. "That we would be raped because you wanted to pull one over on us?" He didn't care that she was crying. He wanted her to feel bad, to hurt after what they'd been through. "You deffinitally won that round." He said bitterly.

"I didn't want that." Meghan cried.

Josh scoffed at her, his anger rising. All of it had happened as part of her counter-prank. Drake was falling into deeper despair, because of her. His grip tightened on the phone as she tried to grab it away again, and he raised his hand in the air.

Meghan shrank away from him, covering her face as she waited for him to hit her. She deserved this after what she'd done.

Josh stopped himself mid swing. It diddnt matter how angry he was, he couldn't hit her. He threw the phone to the floor, watching it smash into pieces. He turned his teary eyes away from her. "I hope your proud." He said cruely.

"No…" She whispered, falling to her knees as she began to cry harder. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen, I didn't want…"

Josh walked away from her. He didn't have anything comforting to say to her, not now. He stood in the doorway to her room, looking over his shoulder at her as she continued to cry. "Do you know what Drake is doing?" He asked, glarring at her. "He's cutting himself, because he thinks all of it was his fault."

She looked at him in disbelief, and another wave of fear passed over her. Josh was going to tell everyone what she'd done. She wasnt ready...

"I'm not gonna tell mom and dad." He said, as if reading her mind. "But you need to tell Drake. He deserves to know the truth." He said as he left her room.

He stormed back to his room, a raging ball of mixed emotions. He knew that Meghan hadnt meant for them to be raped, but he was still angry at her. If it hadnt been for her they never would have been there, they wouldnt have been raped. He hated her right now, and that feeling of hate and disgust scared him.

Drake looked up as Josh slammed the door shut behind him. "What's going on?" He asked, voice trembaling.

"Nothing." Josh lied. He wanted to tell Drake the truth, To give him something to dirrect his feelings at other then his wrists.

"It doesnt look like nothing." Drake replied quietly, turning his attention toward his scabbing wrists.

Josh walked over toward his brother, pushing his anger aside. "Does it hurt?" He asked quietly, looking at the damage.

"Not really..." Drake said, tears in his eyes. "It stings a little, but then it feels okay."

Josh pulled Drake's sleeve down, looking into Drake's tear filled eyes. "You dont have to cut yourself, Drake. What happened, it wasnt your fault. When your hurting, just come to me. I'm here for you brother, no matter what."

Drake nodded, trying to keep the sobs hidden in his throat. He tensed as Josh pulled him into a tight hug no longer able to hide the tears he wrapped his arms around Josh and let them fall.

"It wasnt your fault," Josh said again, his own tears falling.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Audrey was making dinner when the phone rang. She sighed and walked to the other room, whiping her hands on her pants before answering the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello," Came a famillier voice. "Is this Audrey Nichols?"

"Yes it is," She said slowly, bracing herself for anything.

"This is Dr. Stein, from the hospital."

She exhaled, relieved. "How are you?" She asked, trying to sound pleasent.

"I have the boy's test results." He said.

Her breathe caught in her throat. She'd been waiting for this call, and dreading it. The creeps who'd raped her boys could have done so to anyone, and they could have caught anything.

"Im glad to say that nothing came up." He said after her silence. "All of our tests came back negative."

"Thank God," She sighed in relief.

Dr. Stein gave her a moment before continuing. "How are the boys doing?"

"Better." She replied. "Josh seems to be doing the best, he's almost back to normal. But Drake seems to be trapped in what happened. He hardly comes out of his room..."

"It's normal for teenagers who've been through this sort of thing." Dr. Stein replied sadly. "Have a nice day." He said after a moment.

"You too." Audrey said before hanging up the phone. She headed toward the stairs, she wanted to tell the boys the good news. Maybe that would help Drake cheer up. She could only hope.

Audrey knocked twice before slowly opening the door. Drake was sitting on his bed, strumming his guitar and Josh was on the couch watching T.V. "Your Docter called." She said as she walked into the room. "Your test results came back negative."

Josh sighed in relief and looked over toward Drake. His expression hadnt really changed. "I'm glad." He said quietly.

Audrey nodded, trying to hide her tears. She couldnt imagine how they felt right now. "Me too." She smiled. "Dinner will be ready in an hour."

"Thanks mom." Josh said.

She looked over toward Drake, he seemed so distant right now.

Drake noticed her starring and looked up at her. He couldnt bring himself to smile so he just nodded. "Thanks." he said quietly.

Audrey offered her best smile and left the room. She had wanted so badly to go over to Drake and hug him, to try and claer away some of the clouds that seemed to be hanging over his head. She didnt want to make him feel different, but every fiber of her being was screaming at her to just take him in her arms and cry with him. He was her little boy, and she could see the pain in his eyes. Silent tears slid across her cheeks as she moved toward the stairs. She stopped at the first step, contimplating whether she should go back to him. It took all of her will to push forward toward the kitchen. When he was ready, she would be there for him.

Josh turned toward Drake, watching the way he absent mindedly plucked the strings of his guitar. "She's trying." He said softly.

"I know..." Drake said. He hated to see those tears behind her eyes every time she looked at him. He didnt want her to cry over him, because of him. He was dirty, and he knew that she saw it.

He looked back to his wrists, then his eyes darted toward Josh, a new sence of fear hidden within them. "You wont tell her...?"He said, voice scarred.

"About what?"

Drake looked at his wrist again. "About what I did."

Josh hesitated. He didnt want to keep all of these secrets. He wanted to tell Drake the truth, he wanted to tell his parents about Drake, to try and help him, but he knew that Drake wouldnt handle that betrayle of trust well. He shook his head, eyes downcast. "No." He said, swallowing the word.

"Promise?" Drake asked.

"I promise." Josh said.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **I dont own Drake and Josh, nor am I profiting from this. The song Night After Night (Out Of The Shadows) belongs to The Rasmus.

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay guys, lifes been crazy and I havent been sure where I wanted to go with this.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

_~~Time after time I lose again  
>Night after night I wake up shaking<br>'Cause my world is breaking  
>I'm fool enough to fall again<br>Night after night I wake up crying  
>'Cause I feel like dying~~<em>

Drake nearly screamed as his eyes shot open. His body was trembeling as the remnants of the nightmare played behind his eyes. Almost falling, he climbed out of bed and ran toward the bathroom, barly making it before he threw up. Again he found himself crying, and hating himself for it. He pushed the door shut and looked at his wrists. He'd told Josh he wouldn't do it again.

Drake closed his eyes, disgusted with himself as he reached for the razor blade. Josh didnt understand, he was stronger. Josh wasnt a filthy whore like he was. He exhaled heavily as he slid the blade across his wrists once again, shuddering as the blood began to flow. 

"I'm sorry." He whispered as the tears fell. "Josh, I'm sorry."

He wanted something to chase away the pain. To make him forget the hurt that he kept remembering. He wanted to stop feeling them inside of himself. He leaned against the door, waiting for the blood to stop flowing before wrapping bandages around his wrists. He burried the towel in the bottom of the trash can before heading back to bed. He stopped and looked at Josh. He was trembleing, probably having his own nightmares.

Drake walked over toward his bed, shaking him gently. "Josh, Josh wake up."

Josh blinked is eyes a few times before taing a deep breath. He;d been in the middle of a nightmare. "You okay Drake?" he asked, sitting up.

"Couldnt sleep." Drake said, sitting in the bed next to Josh.

"Nightmares?" Josh asled.

"yeah..."

"Me too." Josh said. "I cant get what happened out of my head."

Drake leaned into his brother, letting Josh hold him as he shuddered and cried. "I can still feel them..." He whispered. "I can still smell them."

"It'll be okay." Josh said. The words felt empty. For him, it was all fading away. He was pushing the memories away, moving past them. But Drake, it had been so different for him. They had taken so much more from him. Josh didnt know how to help his brother.

"I'm sorry Josh..." Drake whimpered as he burried his face in Josh's chest.

"It wasnt your fault." Josh tried to assure him, his own tears falling now.

Josh sat there comforting Drake until he finally fell asleep. He looked down at his brothers tear streaked face , smoothing his hair back. There was so much pain inside of Drak, and he didnt know how to fix it.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Audrey was making breakfast when the phone began to ring. She turned down the heat on the stove and went into the living room, answering the phone.

"Hello." She said tirdly.

"Good morning Ma'am." Officer Miles said. "This is Officer Miles, I took your son's statement the other night."

"Of course," Audrey said, remembering that horrible night. "Did you find the monsters yet?"

"We have suspicions based on your son Josh's descriptions. We'd like for the boys to come in and look at some mug shots." he said. He wanted to catch the men who'd done this.

"I'll bring them down after breakfast." She said, sighing in relief.

"Thank you." Officer Miles said before hanging up the phone.

Audrey staggered back into the kitchen, her hands shaking. She wanted the police to get those basterds, for them to rot in jail for what they had done. She was afraid though. What if seeing them again hurt the boys more than it helped them? Silent tears drifted across her face as she fried the bacon. She wanted this to be over for her sons. For all of them.

Drake and Josh walked into the police station, looking around nervously as they were lead to an empty room with a large binder of photos on the plain table. Officer Chamron Miles sat across the table, offering a smile.

"If you boys see any of the men who attacked you, just let me know. We want to catch them as soon as possible."

"Okay." Josh said, Drake just nodded.

They sat down and began flipping through the pictures of arrested men, looking for any of the five that had been there that night. Then Josh stopped turning the page, his eyes falling on a face that made him shudder: Ryan Corvaks. The first of the men who had made him... The secound one who'd raped Drake.

"This one." he said, hands shaking.

"Officer Miles wrote down the name, seeing the sudden hurt in Josh had made him sigh. This couldnt be easy on the boys.

A few pages latter the boys stopped again. Josh starred into the uncaring faces of the other two men who'd violated his mouth. Sean Grey and Mitchell Walkins.

He nearly choked on the words as he pointed to the page. "B-both of them." he said. He could feel the tears burning behind his eyes.

Officer Miles loooked at Josh. "They wont hurt you again." He promised.

Josh nodded, trying to take comfort in the promise. This would all be over soon. He told himself.

They continued turning the pages, looking for the last two. It seemed like forever before Drake's breath stopped. He looked into the eyes of the third man to rape him and his eyes clouded with tears. Patrik Nash.

Another six pages went by before they found the leader, when they did Drake couldnt hold back his tears. Staring back at him was the man who'd taken his virginity, whose face and voice haunted him. Paul Hanner. He starred into those cruel eyes and his body went numb.

Josh took Drake's hand into his own, squeezing it. He hated that man, for everything that he had done. "That was he leader." He told the officer, his voice full of hate.

Officer Miles wrote down the last name and looked at the boys. "I know this was hard," He said. "But knowing who they are, we can arrest them now. They will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law." he promised.

"Thanks." Josh said, looking toward Drake. He was doing his best not to break down. "Can we go now?"

"Yeah." officer Miles said, esscorting them back to the Lobby where Audrey was waiting.

She could see the hurt in Josh's eyes, and the tears in Drakes. How badly she wanted to take them into her arms and promise them that it would be okay now.

But they walked right passed her, Josh taking drake to the car where he could finally let go and cry.

She looked toward Officer Miles, hoping. "We're they able to identify any of them?"

"All five." He answered.

She nodded, tears in her eyes. "Thank you." She said.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

They drove home in silence. Josh and Drake both trapped in the memories of what those men had done to them. Seeing those faces again was tearing them apart. It made the whole thing real again, made the pain surface.

Audrey pulled into the driveway, taking a moment to just breath before turning around to look at the boys. "The police are gonna catch the basterds." She said.

Josh looked at Drake, who seemed lost within his own mind. "Then what?" he asked.

Audrey didnt know what to say. She didnt know what came next, how it would change anything. "I don't know." She replyed honsestly.

She turned off the car, the keys shaking in her hands. "Can one of you check the mail, please?" She asked. She needed to get inside, to be able to cry.

"Sure." Drake said. It was the first thing he'd said in hours.

Drake walked over to the mailbox in a trance. Trying to push away the memories had only made them hurt more. He wanted to be distracted, even if it was through meaningless work. He opened the mailbox and reached inside.

His eyes widened as his hands fell on familier leather. Trembling fingers felt cold metal. he pulled his hand away as it it had been hurt and looked into the mailbox with fearful eyes. Harmlessly laying within were their wallets, and the keys to the car.

They know where I live! His mind screamed as he called out for Josh.


	11. Chapter 11

"I will not calm down!" Audrey growled angrily into the phone. She'd called the police imediantly after seeing what had Drake so terrified at the mailbox. "Those creeps were here, they put those things in the mailbox."

"Ma'am," The Officer tried, "We have warrents for their arrests, as soon as we find them,"

"Until you find them they're out there," Audrey snapped. "They know where my boys live, what's to stop them from stalking them and hurting them again?"

There was a pause on the line as the phone was handed to another Officer. "Audrey, this is Miles." Officer Miles said, having just been told what happened.

"They were here." Her voice was still strong, but there was a hint of fear within it.

"I know." He replied. "I don't think they're making a threat against your boys. Some rapists like to torment their victims after the crime. It's probably just their way of reminding the boys about what happened, that they were in power."

"Is that suppossed to make me feel better?" She asked sarcastically.

"No." Miles said apologetically. "We've got men going to the listed residences for each of the men who did this, everything will be okay." He wanted to calm her down. Her anger was understandable, in her position, he'd be just as angrey.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

He couldn't promise anything. Each of those boys had a long list of offences, and so far none of the parents knew where their sons were. "We'll get them." He said simply.

"Thank you." She said before hanging up the phone.

Audrey leaned against the wall, tears in her eyes. It hadn't been enough for the monsters to rape her children and leave them hurt. No, they had to come back and leave a reminder of what they'd done, what they'd taken. She'd seen the fear in Drake's eyes as he'd clung to Josh. The way Josh had trembled... She wanted this to be over for them, for all of them.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"It's going to be okay," Josh said, looking over at Drake. "They wont hurt us again."

"They were here..." Drake said bitterly. "Right outside of the damn house."

Josh dropped his gaze. At least Drake was angry now, not terrified and crying. It was good to see another emotion in him. "I know."

"What if they decide to burst through the door and..."

"They wont!" Josh snapped. He didnt want to think about that. Remembering what had happened was bad enough, imagining it happening again was too much.

Josh's sudden anger quieted Drake's rage. All of this had happened because of him. He'd led them to hat double date, he'd failed to do anything to stop what had happened first to Josh, then himself. All the while Josh had been the strong one, taking care of him while he'd been hiding in this room. Crying and cutting.

"I'm sorry." Drake said, looking at Josh.

"For what?" Josh asked, seeing the sudden change in Drake.

"For what happened. It was my fault. I couldnt stop them, what they did to you. If I'd have been stronger, faught harder, then they would'nt have been able to... And since then you've been taking care of me, because I'm a wreck. I failed you, and, I let you down..." He said, pulling up his sleeve to show the macabre collection of scabbed cuts.

"No," Josh said. He wanted to tell Drake that it wasnt his fault, that they'd only been there because of Meghan. "You can't take the blame for what happened in that ally, I was just as weak and powerless when they hurt you. What they did to you," He choked back the tears. "Was so much worse then what they did to me. I'm here for you brother, I'll be here for you no matter what."

Silent tears streamed across Drake's cheeks. He looked at the wallets sitting on the table infront of the couch. "What if they do come back?" he whispered.

"I wont let them hurt you." Josh promised. "If they come back," he said, his voice darker, more hate filled then Drake had ever heard it. "they will regret it."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Josh burst into meghan's room, startling her away from the book she was reading.

"You havent told him." Josh said bluntly.

"No..." She replied queitly, avoiding his gaze. "I'm afraid to...'

"Not as afraid as he is. He needs to know the truth, he deserves it."

She nodded. "I'm sorry." She said, looking him in the eyes. "I diddnt mean for that to happen."

"I don't want your apology." Josh said. "I know it wasnt your intent, but it still happened. If you don't tell Drake, then I will. I'm not letting him blame himself for this anymore."

"I'll tell him." She said. She was more afraid of Drake knowing then of Josh. Drake was her big brother, and even though they didnt get along the best, he'd always been there for her. To tell him that she had put him in the place of his worst nightmare would leave an unrepairable gap betrween them forever. "promise."

Josh nodded and walked out of the room. He diddnt want to be the one to tell Drake what Meghan had done, but he wasnt going to sit back while Drake hurt and blamed himself for it.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"They got Sean." Mitchell shouted as he burst into the gangs hideout. "The fucking cops were called while we were buying beers and they arrested him."

The rest of the members looked up at as Mitchell paced around the room, fists clenched.

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked.

"Those kids identified all of us, the cops are looking everywhere. They;ve got signs out and the clerk called the cops." Mitchell sneered.

Paul got up out of his throne-like chair. "we're leaving the state." He announced calmly.

"Not without my step brother." Mitchell growled.

"The cops got him," Patrick snorted. "We cant exactly walk into the jail and bring him with us."

Mitchell turned toward Patrick, eyes glowing.

"Hey!" Paul shouted. "Calm down boys."

"We arent leaving without him." Mitchell snapped.

Ryan laughed. "How do you expect to get him out?"

Paul walked to the middle of the room, a smile on his lips. "First thing we do is take care of that clerk who opened his big mouth." paul said. "Then we get Sean back and leave the state for a few months."

"How?" Mitchell asked.

"We propose a trade." Paul grinned maliciously.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: So, i dont think anyone read the last chapter. SadFace. :(

Sorry for any errors, I'm doing this before work, so I've only got about an hour to type it and put it up. Alot happens in this chapter, it seems kinda rushed, but it felt like the fic was dragging.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Officer Miles walked into the interrogation room, starring down at Sean. It sickened him, knowing what he'd done to those boys, the size of his record alone was enough to give someone the chills.

"Where are the others?" Miles asked.

Sean grinned. "Don't know."

"We know you were there the night Josh Nickols and Drake Parker were assulted. The Dna results will be here in the next few days, And you've been identified. This will all be easier if you just tell us were the rest of your gang is hiding."

"You can't prove that I was there, and until you can you've got nothing to hold me on." Sean smiled smugly.

Officer Miles placed the evidence bag on the table, inside were the boy's wallets. "Your prints, and your step brother's."

Sean just starred at the bag, saying nothing.

"Where are they?" Miles asked again.

Sean shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in the hard chair. "Dont know." He said again, turning his gaze to the two way mirror and smiling.

Miles stood up, grabbing the evidence bag and left the room. He knew that he'd hit the kid if he had to keep starring into that smug face. He was going away for what he'd done, they had enough evidence to hold him here for now.

He walked over toward his desk, slumping down in his chair and putting his face in his hands. They were winning this one, or at least he felt like they were. They had everything they needed to put this gang away, the evidence, the boys were going to testify at the trial, all they needed were the other four members. They couldnt hide forever, but they seemed so far away.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Audrey walked into the room, looking at Drake as he sat on the couch strumming his guitar. The look on is face was so empty, like he was a million miles away. She sat next to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He nearly dropped the guitar as he turned toward her, throwing his arms around her. He'd been avoiding his parents, so afraid of what they must think of him. But he was afraid, and right now he wanting his mom to hold him, To tell him that everything was going to be okay.

"I'm sorry," he choked out between sobs.

"You have nothing to apologize for." She said, closing her eyes. "What happened wasnt your fault, Walter and I don't think any less of you."

Drake shook his head, keeping it burried in his mother's embrace. "I'm scared." he whispered.

"I know." She said, fighting back tears. "But everything is going to be okay. They caught one of those basterds allready. They'll get the others."

It felt like forever, the time he spent within his mother's protective arms. He felt safe there, and Drake didnt want that feeling to end. He was so tired of being afraid of what had happened.

"Your father and I have a buisness party tonight, but if you want me to stay home,"

"You can go." he said, pulling out from her arms, forcing a small smile. "You should get out of the house."

Audrey smiled, pushing Drake's hair away from his eyes. "If you need me, just call and I'll be home as fast as possible."

"Okay."

"And keep an eyes on your sister. Josh goes back to work tonight, so it'll just be the two of you."

Drake starred at her. Josh was leaving? He didnt want Josh to go to work, he didnt want to be home without Josh or his parents. "Josh is working tonight" He asked breathlessly.

"Yeah," Audrey replied, seeing the fear in his eyes. "Do you want me to stay home?" She asked again.

Yes! Yes! Yes! His mind screamed. "No," He said quietly. "I'll be fine."

Audrey gave him one last hug before getting up to go and get ready. She didnt want to go to Walter's work party, but it meant alot to him for her to be there. "I love you."

"Love you too, mom." Drake said, waiting for her to leave before letting the tears fall.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Josh walked out of the bathroom, it felt weird to be in his work clothes again. To be leaving the house and getting on with his life. He brushed his hands over his hair one more time before walking into the room he sharred with Drake. Drake was sitting on the couch, knees to his chest.

"If you need me, just call." Josh said, walking over to him and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"How can you do it?" Drake asked. He couldn't understand how josh was fighting past everything that had happened, moving on with life.

"Do what?"

"Just, go on with life like what happened was something small?" Drake wasnt bitter, just curious.

"It still bothers me." Josh confessed, sitting next to drake, he pulled the mini-toothbrush out from his pocket. I still brush, all of the time. When it gets dark I panic. But," He said, sighing heavily. "I can't let it control me. Honestly, I'm terrified of going to work tonight, I've almost called off twice."

Drake looked toward his brother, understanding that fear. But he admired Josh, his strength and will. "I'll be okay." Drake said, trying to sound half as confident as Josh seemed.

"Just, call me if you need anything, Hellen will let me leave for you." Josh said, trying a smile.

"Thanks." Drake said, hugging his brother tightly.

Hesitantly, Josh pulled away from Drake and moved toward te door, looking in on his one more time. He nodded, then walked out of his room, stopping at meghan's door and knocking once before walking in.

"Take care of him." he said, vioce serious.

"I will." meghan said, her voice just as serious.

She waited alone in her room until her parents and Josh were gone. She'd been working up the courage to tell Drake the truth all day. She'd never really been afriad of anything, but now, standing outside his door, she was terrified.

She took a deep breath, knocking twice before walking in. "Drake?" She asked quietly, searching the room for him.

He was sitting on the couch, mindlessly flipping through channels on the television with the volume turned off. He turned toward her, there were tears in his eyes. Quickly, he brushed them away, and thats when she caught a glimpse of his wrist.

Meghan walked toward her brother, not saying a word as she took his hand and pulled it close, turning it over to see for herself what he'd been doing. There were at least a dozen cuts, red and starring at her accusingly. The tears built up behind her eyes as she pulled Drake into a hug.

She'd done this to him, it was all her fault.

"Drake, I'm sorry," She said breathlessly as her tears fell.

"It wasnt your fault." he said, not wanting her pity.

She shook her head, feeling so small and powerless. "It was." She finally said.

Drake looked at her, confusion clearly written on his face. "Don't be silly." he said, trying a smile.

The forced smile made her feel so much worse. She couldn't do this, he's hate her forever. "It was my fault." She said again. "I made you guys go out that night, I wanted to booby trap your room, so I pretended to be the twins to get you out of the house." She blurted it out so fast, her heart racing as she saw the fear in his eyes turn to anger, then pain.

"You," He started, too shocked to say much else.

"Drake, I'm so sorry." She cried, her face covered in guilt and devestation. "I didnt mean for that to happen, I diddnt know,"

"Does Josh know." He asked quietly, letting the knowledge sink in.

"He found the phone I used to..." She replied. "Drake, I'm sorry,"

Drake pulled away from her in disbelief and anger. "Get out of my room." He said, voice quiet but strong.

"I'm sorry," She said again before running out of the room, tears burning. Meghan slammed her door shut, falling onto her bed she cried herself to sleep. hating herself.

Drake looked at his wrists, then around the room that had become his sanctuary over the last few days. It had all been part of a counter-prank. He closed his eyes and saw their faces, could feel them touching him. His eyes fill with tears as he grabbed his phone, dialing Josh's number as he bagan to shake.

"Pick up. please." he begged as the phone rang untill it went to voicemail.

Drake hung up, falling onto Josh's bed and crying himself to sleep.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

They waited outside until the parents left, sitting still until the secound car left, in it the boy they had orally raped. That meant the other one was probably inside, but it was okay. They only needed one. They snuck into the house, perfectly quiet they looked into each room. There was bllod on their shoes, leaving a trail of where they'd been. Finally, they found the room they were searching for. They filed in, standing around the sleeping teen with mocking smiles.

Drake could feel eyes upon him, could hear breathing. He slowly opened his eyes, thinking that Meghan had come back to the room. "Go away Meghan." he said groggily before seeing who stood around him.

Before he could move Patrick was on top of him, a hand over his mouth and another trying to grab his wrists. He yelped in pain and fear as he grabbed the one with all of his cuts..

Patrick laughed, exposing it to the others. "Awww, he's been thinking about us." he sneered, the others all laughed mockingly.

Drake tried to scream, He wouldnt let this happen again. He tried to fight back, to push patrick off of him. There were tears in his eyes.

"Your coming with us." Paul said, stepping forward, touching the cuts on Drake's wrist.

Mitchell stepped forward, forcing a bandana into drake's mouth as Patrick flipped him onto his stomach. Mitchell tied the bandana in tight as Patrick held his wrists behind his back untill Ryan secured the zip tie over them, cutting into the cuts until they bled.

Patrick then pulled Drake to his feet, holding him tightly. "He's a pretty one." He said.

Drake didnt care that he was crying, he just kept screaming, hoping that someone, anyone would help him.

"Grab his phone." Paul said, gesturing to Drake's cell phone.

Mitchell grabbed it, placing it in his pocket.

They were walking toward the door when Meghan stepped forward, a knife in her hand.

"Let him go." She said fearlessly. She'd heard the comotion from her room. She'd been woken up by Drake's muffled screams and had ran to her door. That was when she'd seen the footprints. She knew that the men who had hurt her brothers were in the house, so she'd crept to the kitchen, dialed the polce and grabbed a knife. She wouldn't let them hurt Drake, not again.

Patrick pulled his switchblade out, holding it to Drake's throat. "Go play with your dolls girly." he said roughly.

"I wont let you hurt my brother." She said, voice cold.

"There are four of us," Ryan snickered, stepping forward.

Meghan lashed out with the blade, cutting deeply into Ryan's arm.

Ryan yelped in pain, looking at her with anger he stepped forward, pulling out his own knife.

"Lve eer lone." Drake tried to yell, pulling against partick to try and help her. He didnt care what she'd done, he wouldnt let them hurt her.

"Enough." paul's voice echoed against the walls of the room. "You got spunk, kid." he said to Meghan, pulling out his own knife. "But there are more of us, and Patrick there, well," paul grinned. "He will cut your brother's throat. So unless you want to get him killed, put your knife down."

"I won't let you hurt him." She said again, determined.

"We don't plan on hurting him, he just needs to coe with us, as soon as we get our boy back, he's free to go."

"I don't' believe you." She spat, holding her knife steady.

Paul sighed, nodding at Patrick.

Patrick laughed, slowly digging the point of his knife against Dake's throat, causing a line of blood to fall. Drake squeezed his eyes shut, whimpering as the steel dragged a little farther across. It wasnt deep enough to kill him, but it hurt.

"Stop!" meghan cried, dropping her knife and falling to her knees. She wanted to help drake, but she didnt know what to do. Not in this situation.

"Good girl." paul said, walking over to her and hitting her in the back of the head, knocking her out.

Drake yelled out angrily, pulling against patrick's hold. He didnt want them anywhere near his sister..

"Leave the girl." paul said, looking into drake's eyes. "We've got what we came for."

Drake struggled as they lead him out of the house, into the darkness of nightfall. Faster then he could walk, they practically dragged him toward the car, forcing him inside. Tears fell as they drove away. Paul took Drake's phone from Mitchell, searching the contacts untill he found the one labeled _Mom_.

It rang twice before Audrey answered. "Is everything okay Drake?"

"This isnt your son." paul said, wrapping an arm around Drake. "But he is here, and everything isnt okay."

"Who are you?" Audrey demanded. "Where's Drake?"

"Sitting right beside me." Paul said, putting the phone against Drake's head. "Say hello to your mom."

Drake's words were a muffled plead for help. Sattisfied, Paul put the phone back against his ear. "Listen closely. No harm will come to him, as long as we get what we want."

"What do you want?" She asked bitterly.

"We want our friend back, he was arrested today. We want him released from police custody, and, assumeing he isnt followed back to our place, we let your kid go, no harm done." Paul ended the call before Audrey could reply, looking down at the shattered boy under his arm.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Josh had been halfway to work when he realized he didnt have his phone. Cursing himself he turned the car around, almost speeding as he headed home. he'd told Drake to call if he needed anything, he had to have his phone. He was pulling up to the house when he saw the front door open, his heart pounding as he watched the men from the ally leave his house, drake with them. Through angry, squinted eyes he watched them force his bound brother into their car.

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel. He wasnt going to let them hurt Drake. As stealthily as he could he followed them back to a small house on the edge of town. He parked the car down the block, running through the darkness, hiding in the bushes as he watched them pull drake out of the car. They'd pay. he vowed for what they had done, and for daring to mess with them again.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I make no claim to own Drake and Josh.

A:N: Violence, theres gonna be some in the next chapter. I feel like no one's reading this anymore, so, if this chapter sucks its because I've sorta stopped trying to make it good. It's also got alot going on because I'm trying to wrap this fic up, because i dont think anyone is reading it. I think the 3 month hiatus made people lose interest, wich is understandable. I just dont wanna stress over making it really good if no ones reading.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Audrey and walter left the party without a word to their hosts. Those monsters had their son! And meghan, what had happenned to her? Silently they prayed that their little girl was okay, all the while their minds secretly guessing the worst. In those countless minutes the car couldnt go fast enough.

By the time they were pulling up to their house the police were all ready inside. Panic set in, shortening breath as Audrey dashed out of the car before Walter had it parked. She prayed as she ran up the stairs. "Please let her be okay." She'd never begged God for anything, now it was all she could do.

She saw the bloody footprints on the doorstep and felt naucious. Please God no!

"I live here." She said breathlessly to the officer at the door, pushing past him into the living room. Her heart skipped beats as she laid eyes on Meghan, sitting on the couch with Officer miles. "Thank you." She whispered before dashing over to her daughter.

Meghan had never felt tears spring up so quickly. The moment she saw her mother she was crying, running toward her open arms and falling into them. "Mom!"

Audrey pulled Meghan close, never wanting to let her go. With great hesitance she pulled back, looking into her daughters teary eyes. "Did they hurt you?"

Meghan shook her head. "They took Drake." She sobbed, falling back into her mother's embrace. "I couldn't protect him..."

"It's not your fault." Audrey said, her own tears falling.

Meghan shook her head. It was her fault, all of it. The sobs came harder as she squeezed her eyes shut. Drake was gone because she hadnt stopped those men. He'd been hurt before because of her, she didnt want to think about what they would do to him now.

Audrey turned her attention to Miles. "They have my son."

"We're looking for them now." he assured her.

"They called me." She said bitterly. "They want the guy you arrested released. They said that if he isnt followed, they'll let Drake go."

Officer Miles looked at her, speechless. They couldnt just let him go, it wasnt that simple. And even if they did, there was no guarentee they'd get her son back. "How did they get your number?" he asked, curious, trying to move the conversation.

"They have Drake's phone." She answered. "I've tried calling it a dozen times, no one's answering."

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Drake was sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. Since they'd brought him inside he'd been blindfolded and ignored, wich he was thankful for. He just wanted this to be over with, to be left alone while they had him. He was trembling he was so afriad. he knew what they were capable of, and he didnt want it to happen again.

He could hear bottles opening amongst their chatter, endless words that he was trying to drown out. The smell of smoke and filth was heavy in the air.

Paul watched Drake intently from across the room, the way he trembled brought a smile to his lips. He wasnt letting htat kid leave unharmed. Refused to let him go without having him one last time. He pushed himself to his feet, walking over to Drake and kneeling down beside him. He watched the way Drake jumped, listened to his paniced breath.

"I was admiring you from across the room." Paul laughed. Drake tried to back away, only to push himself harder against the wall. He could feel Paul's hand on his wrist, running his fingers over the cuts.

"You're very pretty when you bleed." He said mockingly. "Like the night we raped you, the blood on your thighs," He leaned closer, breathing on Drake's neck. "Would you bleed the same if we did it again?" He whispered.

What little calm Drake had dissapeared. He didnt care that his hands were bound and he was blindfolded, he wanted out! He moved forward to get away from Paul, only to be yanked back by mercilous hands. He pulled against those hands, muffled pleads escaping his mouth.

Paul's laughter echoed through the room, sending chills down Drake's spine. "Time to call your mommy." he taunted, standing over Drake and pulling out his phone.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Audrey was sitting on the couch with Walter and meghan when her phone began to ring. It barly rang once before she answered, her hands trembling. "Hello?"

"I'm running out of patience." Paul's voice sailed over the line. "We want our friend back, and I'm sure you'd like to have your son back."

"I'm doing what I can." She said, looking toward Miles with pleading eyes. "Please, dont hurt him."

Paul laughed. "I'm pretty sure there's at least one police officer at your house, put one of them on the phone."

Audrey handed the phone to Miles. "he wants to talk to an officer." She said.

"This is Officer Cameron Miles." he said into the phone.

""here's the deal," Paul said bluntly. "You're gonna let Sean go, and you'll do it soon or this kid isnt making it out of our custody with his sanity intact. You know what we did to him unprovoked, imagine what we'll do to him now that we're angry."

"Just let the kid go." Miles replied. "You're making things worse on yourselves right now. Kidnapping is a serious offence."

"Don't make demands." Paul spat. "If Sean isnt here within the hour then the kids fair game to anyone who wants him." Paul said before hanging up the phone.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Audrey starred at Officer Miles in disbelief. He'd practically threatened the men who had her son. "Were you listening to yourself?" She demanded. "They're holding my son hostage and you're threatening them with charges!"

"Ma'am," he started.

"No." Audrey spat. "They've already hurt him, what's to stop them from doing it again? We have no idea where he is right now, what they might be doing to him," Her breath caught in her throat as the tears stabbed at her eyes. "I want my son back."

"We're going to get him back." Officer Miles promised.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Are they letting Sean go?" Mitchell asked. He was tense and unnearved.

"I'm not sure." Paul said, looking down at Drake. "But, I think we could do with some_ fun _while we wait." Without warning he pulled Drake to his feet and pushed him stubling toward the group of boys in the center of the room.

They laughed as they stood around him in a circle, pushing him around to one another. They watched as he blindly stumbled over his feet trying to keep balance. His pleads for them to stop useless due to the gag in his mouth.

_Please let this end..._He silently begged before tripping over his feet and crashing onto the ground. Drake curled up, trying to sheild himself from them as they crowded around him.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Josh clenched his fists in anger as he watched through the cracked window. The bushes outside were so overgrown that he had remained hidden. He'd listened to paul's conversation with his mom, and whatever police were at the house. He knew that he had to get Drake out of there. The moment paul put his hands on Drake to pull him to his feet Josh's muscles tensed. He didnt want them laying a finger on his brother!

Then he watched as they passed him around that circle, pushing him around and laughing at him. He was defencless for mercy's sake! Bound and blindfolded he couldnt protect himself.

Josh crept around toward the back of the house, the back door was unlocked! Josh looked around the yard for anything he could use as a weapon before entering the house. The only thing he could find that he could lift was an old metal baseball bat. He held the cold object in is hand, he could feel his anger heating it. They would pay.

he was torn from his thoughts when he heard the muffled scream from the other room. His hatred flared as he gripped the bat tightly. He'd never felt this kind of anger before. This detachment from his normal self, the need to hurt someone. And he knew he would hurt them. He hadn't been able to help Drake when they'd Raped him in the allyway, but he wouldn't be weak or afriad now. They had gone into _his_ home and kidnapped _his_ brother. They would get what they deserved.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: As promised, there will be violence. It may seem out of character, but, fear and anger can change a person.

- Also, thank you to the people who left coments in the last chapter, it meant alot to me to know that peole were reading and enjoying this fic. You guys are amazing.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Josh could feel the blood pulsing through the veins in his hands with every beat of his heart. He stood in the shadows of the kitchen, waiting for the right moment to move. He didnt want to attack them when they were all together, he didnt want Drake to get caught in the middle and be hurt.

He wished that he'd grabbed his cell phone from the house. He wanted to let someone know where they were, to get some kind of help. But if he'd have gone inside for his phone then he would'nt have been able to follow them.

Josh shook his head. He was here and Drake needed him. He was going to do what he needed to. Again he heard Drake's muffled scream echo through the house, and he could only hope they werent doing what he thought they were.

Drake's entire left side throbbed in pain from the fall. He felt dizzy and disoriantated. he could hear them moving closer, then one of them was on top of him and he screamed. He could feel the hands on his chest, pushing him against the floor.

"Look at him tremble." Mitchell sneered, pushing down on him harder. "You shouldn't have gone to the police," he said, grinding his hips over Drake's. "If they didnt have my brother, we'd have just left you alone."

Drake began crying. He didnt want this.

"Not yet Mitch." Paul said. "We dont want to use him up yet."

Mitchell hit Drake across the face before rolling off of him. "For Sean." He spat.

Paul knelt beside Drake, pulling the blindfold away from his teary eyes. They were all looking down on him, like he was some sort of thing. Like he wasnt a person at all. He turned his eyes toward the cieling as more tears fell.

"Your tears are beautiful." Paul said, whiping them from Drake's cheek. "Little whore."

Drake shuddered, pulling away from Paul's hand. He tried to sit up, but haveing his wrists bound behind his back made it hard.

"Ryan," Paul said after he pulled Drake into a sitting position. "Go throw one of those frozen pizza's into the oven." He starred into Drake's wide eyes. "Our guest is gonna need some energy."

Ryan laughed as he drained his beer and headed toward the kitchen where Josh was waiting.

Josh heard them turn on the television as Ryan headed toward the kitchen. He tightened his grip on the bat, taking deep breathes to calm his nerves. As soon as Ryan rounded the corner Josh swung, hitting him across the face. He heard the sound of the impact explode with the noise of cracking bones.

Ryan fell to the floor unconcious, blood pouring out from his mouth. Josh starred down at the man who had raped both him and Drake. All of his mercy draining as the hate poured from his body. He took a firm hold on the bat and slammed it down into Ryan's genitals. For long moments he looked down on the bleeding man, the monster. Finally he exhaled, kneeling down he searched Ryan's pockets for a phone.

Remembering his mother's number, he sent her a quick text.

_-Mom, it's Josh. I know where Drake is_.-

_-Josh! Where are you, what's happening?- _He could imagine how worried she must be.

He didnt have time to tell her everything. he texted her the address and dropped the phone to the ground. When it buzzed again he didnt answer.

Josh crept through the hall, peeking into the living room. Patrick and mitchell were sitting on the couch, smokeing their cigaretts and laughing at whatever was on the television. It didnt take long for him to find Drake. He was sitting in the middle of the room, Paul behind him, holding him against himself while he ran a dangerous hand over his body. josh's knuckles went whits as he gripped the bat in his hands.

Drake was trying to hold the tears back. Paul had sat himself behind him, one arm wrapped around his chest to hold him against it while the other touched his thighs. He could feel the buldge rising in Paul's pants the cruelty readiating from his body. He knew that they werent just going to let him go, he was begining to doubt that they would even let him live.

Over and over Paul's free hand returned to the cuts on Drake's wrist. Tracing them, then picking at them until they bled again. He moved his hand, not covered in Drake's blood into drake's sight. Drake turned away from the sight, closing his eyes as Paul them slipped those bloodied fingers into his mouth.

"Youre pain is delicious." Paul taunted, licking his lips. He grabbed Drake's chin, caressing his gagged mouth with his thumb. "I could drown in your fear." He whispered.

Patrick ran a hand over his pants, watching Paul always got to him. He wanted another go at that kid. "paul, let me have him first this time."

Paul laughed. "Secound." he said. "After dinner."

"Fine." Patrick said, rolling his eyes. He was bigger then paul, but he respected him. "I gotta go to the bathroom."

Josh backed into the kitchen as Patrick walked down the dark hallway. He waited until he heard the bathroom door close to follow its sound. He stood outside the door, listening to a mix of sounds he vaugly recognized. The grunts and sighs sickening him. As soon as he heard the sink turn on, he pushed open the door.

"I'm in here." patrick said annoyed before looking up and seeing Josh, the blood splattered bat in his hands. "What..."

Josh swung the bat, feeling it's weight fall into Patrick's leg. Patrick grunted with the sudden pain as his eyes narrowed on Josh. he moved to hit him as Josh brought the metal hate down on him again, cracking the bones in his arm. Patrick's vision swam as he fell to the floor, looking up as the bat swung toward him one more time.

Paul pulled away from drake, looking at the stairs to the secound level of the house. He'd told Patrick to wait until after dinner, but he couldnt wait any longer. He pulled Drake to his feet, tightening his grip on the boys arm. "Help me get him upstairs." he said to Mitchell.

Mitchell grinned and put his beer down, following Paul upstairs.

Drake tried to pull away from them as they held his arms. He begged them to stop as they lead him into a dirty bedroom with a bare matress on a rickety old bed. Mitchell pushed him onto the bed, hitting him again as he tried to get up. He forced Drake into the middle of the bed on his stomach, climbing on top of him before cutting the zip tie from his wrists.

As soon as they were free Drake used his arms to push himself up, knocking Mitchell off of his back. He turned toward the door, ready to make his escape when paul grabbed him by the hair and wrapped an arm around him. "Where do you think your going?" he growled, pulling the screaming boy back into the room.

Paul forced Drake onto the bed, climbing ontop of him and holding his wrists down above his head. Mitchell was quick to wrap the handcuffs through the bars of the bed frame and snap them over Drake's wrists. Defeated, Drake layed his head down and cried.

"Brave, but stupid." Paul said as he grabbed Drake's chin, forcing him to look him in the eyes. "This will hurt." he promised before climbing off of him.

Drake turned onto his side, curling up as he tried to shield himself from them. Not again. Please not again.

"Go get the others." paul said, anger in his tone. "The fun starts now."

Mitchell looked at Drake, then his boss. "What about Sean?" he demanded. "They arent going to let him go if we rape the kid now."

"They won't know." Paul snapped. "Are you going to call the police and tell them not to let your step brother out because we went ahead and had some fun?"

"No..." Mitchell replied, head down. No one had to know, not untill Sean was back and they were out of town.

"Then go get Ryan and Patrick." Paul said again, his eyes on Drake.

Without another word Mitchell left the room. When paul was angry, he was violent. He'd seen him nearly kill a girl who'd fought back before, after he was done, that girl had killed herself. He just wanted to get his brother back and get as far away from here as possible. Rape was one thing, but kidnapping was too stressful, too much trouble.

He headed down the stairs toward the kitchen. This was almost over he hoped. He froze as he entered the kitchen, seeing ryan on the floor, a bleeding mess around his head. moments later he heard someone behind him.

Josh stared at Mitchell with cold, mercilous eyes. "Where'd he take drake?" He demanded.

"upstairs." Mitchell said, keeping his voice calm. "Why'd you do this?"

"You raped us, then you came into our home, and took him out of it. I'm getting my brother back."

"We were gonna let him go after we got my brother back." Mitchell snapped. The nerve of this kid. "You killed him,"

"he's not dead." josh said, voice empty of all emotion. "But if anything happen's to Drake, all of you will be."

"that's quite a threat." Mitchell laughed.

"It's a guarentee." Josh spat before swinging the bat.

Mitchell shifted out of the bats path before Josh could hit him, grabbing it and trying to pull it from his hands. Josh let go, the sudden lack of hold causing Mitchell to stumble backward. He looked for anything else in the room he could use to attack with. He grabbed an empty beer bottle and smashed it over the counter.

Mitchell laughed, adjusting his hold on the bat. His swings were wide and clumsy. josh avoided them easily, moving forward he thrust the jagged bottke against Mitchell's chest. It shattered further, long pieces imbeding themselves into his flesh.

Mitchell hissed in pain, dropping the bat and starring at Josh with hate laced eyes. He looked down at the blood soaking into his shirt, tenderly touching the lacerations. "I just wanna get my brother back." he growled.

"So do I." josh replied before diving toward the bat, picking it up and smacking it against Mitchells spine.

Mitchell fell to the floor, tears in his eyes. It hurt. He looked up at josh, eyes pleading for mercy. Josh lifted the bat again, swinging it down heavy.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Paul circled around the filthy matress, his eyes never leaving Drake. "You know, I'm glad that Sean got arrested." he mused. "I never stopped thinking about you, little whore. its impressive. I've had alot of sex, girls, boys, but you." he leaned over Drake, licking the blood from his wrists. "You're something else."

Drake tried to plead with him, to beg. He didnt know what else to do. He didnt want to be raped again.

"Do you want to say something?" Paul chuckled, tracing his fingers over the gag. "you'll have time for words when you go home."

Paul climbed on top of Drake, grabbing his hair he forced him to look at him. He leaned forward, biting his ears and neck, listening to Drake cry and beg. He moved his hands oved drake's chest, down to his pants.

Josh didnt hesitate as he approached the upstairs bedroom. There was no time to wait or plan, not while Drake was alone with that monster. He kicked the door with the full force of his foot, slamming it open. he didnt let the sight before his eyes distract him. he just let the hate, the need to protect drake drive him forward.

"get away from him." Josh said coldly.

Drake looked up when he heard the door burst open. Josh! Standing there, blood splattered on his work uniform and bat in hand, was his brother. Drake tried to call out to him, to warn him. He didnt want Josh to get hurt.

"Where are the others?" paul asked, eyeing Josh carefully.

"Sleeping." josh said simply. "Now get away from my brother."

"You can't stop me." paul said, pulling out his knife and pressing it against drake's throat. "Are you willing to risk hurting him?" paul taunted him.

"I'm going to do whatever I have to to save him from you." Josh said, stepping forward.

Paul laughed, glancing over at Drake. "He's really worth that much to you?"

"yes." Josh said, swinging the bat.

It connected with paul's arm, forcing him to drop the knife. Before he could pick it back up Josh hit him again, then again. He swung the bat so hard it knocked paul off of the bed, sent him tumbling toward the floor.

Josh starred down at the bllod covered form on the floor, all of his calm disolving. It was over, what the hell had he done...? he shook the thoughts away, turning toward his brother. Josh jumped onto the bed, trying to untie the gag. the knot was too tight for him to undue.

"Don't worry." He said to drake as he looked for Paul's knife. He found it quickly, and carefully cut the bandana from drake's mouth.

"Josh!" Drake cried. the sobs were coming in harder then ever.

"Where are the keys?" josh asked. he wanted to get himself and Drake out of the house as soon as possible.

"On a chain, around his neck." Drake said, closing his eyes. It was over.

Cautiously, Josh knelt beside Paul, ripping the chain off from him he then moved toward drake's bound wrists. his eyes fell upon the cuts, all of the open and bleeding. "I'm sorry..."

Drake shook his head, waiting patiently as josh removed the handcuffs. As soon as they were gone drake sat up, pushing himself into Josh's arms he began to cry. Josh held drake close, his own silent tears falling.

"they wre gonna-"

"I know." josh said softly, cutting him off.

"I couldn't fight back, I-"

"it's okay." Josh said. "Everything is going to be okay now."

Drake trembled in josh's arms. He was still so afraid, of what had happened, what had almost happened. If it hadnt been for Josh...

"how did you find me?" Drake asked quietly.

"I forgot my phone, so I turned around togo back and get it." he said, still ashamed. But if he hadn't forgotten it... he didnt want to think about that.

"Thank you Josh," Drake shuddered, closing his eyes.

Josh didnt know what to say. He'd finally done what he couldn't do before. he'd saved his brother.

"Josh!" Drake screamed before pushing Josh away.

In a panic, Josh turned his eyes toward whatever had frightened Drake. Paul was standing at the end of the bed, blood trailing down his face. he was holding the bat in his shaking hands, it had narrowly missed hitting Josh. Drake grabbed for the knife frantically, holding it up deffencevly as Paul stepped forward.

"Stay away from us." he said as bravly as he could.

"You'll both pay." he said, swinging the bat at drake, barly hitting his hands. Drake yelped in pain, dropping the knife as he moved back. "Does it hurt, little whore." Paul spat at Drake before stunbling toward josh.

"No!" drake shouted, jumping toward Paul, he tackled him to the ground. He wasnt going to hurt Josh! Drake landed on top of Paul, trying his best to hold him down he leaned all of his weight into the effort. Paul reached a hand up, wrapping it around Drake's throat.

"Come any closer and i'll break his neck." he said to josh as he used drake to pull himself to his feet. He pushed Drake against the wall, watching his face turn red as he tried to breath. "You couldnt just lay there and take it." he spat.

drake's fingers reached out for anything, he felt the wall, down toward the cluttered nightstad. There, the found the cold, heavy barbell. With all of his remaining strength he lifted it and smacked it against Paul's head. Once, twice before dropping it. The sound of bones bursting made his nauseous. He watched paul fall to the ground and he screamed. All of the hate, the fear burst through his lungs. He wasnt breathing,Drake had killed him.

Drake fell to his knees, staring down at the blood on his hands. In moments Josh was on his feet, running over to drake to make sure he was all right. "Drake...'

Again, Drake fell into his brothers arms. "I killed him..." It was all too much for him.

"It wasnt your fault." Josh said, turning away from the disfigured face. "He would have killed us both."

"I'm not a whore." he said, voice almost a whisper. "I'm not, Josh."

"I know your not." Josh assured him, holding him close as he cried. Listening to the sirens wail as help drew near.


	15. Chapter 15

Josh took a deep breath before turning his eyes toward Drakes. There was blood sprinckled around his face. Paul's blood. "Lets get out of here."

Drake nodded, still trying to keep the tears locked away. He looked down at the dead man on the floor, his head based in... He'd done this. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before looking at josh. There was blood on his hands, splattered across his uniform. Silently he nodded.

Josh wrapped a protective arm around his brother as he walked with him out of the bedroom. Drake's legs were shaking violently as he processed everything that had happened. He lead him through the house, avoiding the unconcious bodies of the others they used the front door.

As soon as the pushed open the door they were flooded in the flashing red and blue lights of the police cars. Their ears rang with the shouts of the Officers. _Dont shoot! Where are the others? Are you okay? _

Niether of them said a word as they walked off of the porch and onto solid ground. They watched as the men with their guns rushed past them and into the house, as officer miles ran toward them, worry and relief on his face.

He looked at the blood on their clothes and skin, breathing heavily. "Are you boys okay?"

Josh nodded. "I attacked three of them," he said, his voice cracking as the need to be strong faded. "they're all unconcious, but..."

"I killed him..." Drake whispered, his eyes on his hands. Shaking hands that were soaked with not only his own blood, but Paul's too.

Miles nodded, following Drake's gaze to his hands and wrists. "What happened?" He asked, seeing the lacerations.

"They had him handcuffed to a bed," Josh said quickly. He'd promised drake that he wouldn't tell on him for cutting. Drake didnt want anyone to know, and Josh was determined to help keep his secret. "They were going to rape him..."

Miles nodded solmnly. He looked down at the boys while his radio echoed wth the static laced voices of the men inside. Two were unconcious, two were dead. He'd seen these boys change a lot over the course of their nightmare. from that first encounter in the hospitle, when they were terrified and broken. The day they'd come in to identify the men who'd wronged them, and now. Even in this new pain, they were stronger. They'd deeated the monsters of their nightmares. There was still a lot of pain behind their eyes, but he had no doubt that they'd overcome it.

"Lets get you boys to the hospital." he said, leading them away from the house of horrors that they'd escaped.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

This time Josh didnt let anyone seperate him from Drake. He didnt care what the doctors wanted, all that mattered was making sure Drake was okay, that he wasnt alone. They looked him over quickly, then left him to stand by his brothers side.

Drake stared at his feet while the nurse bandaged his wrists. he didnt want to see all of the blood being washed away from his skin, or the questioning look on her face as she looked at the many cuts. Whatever she suspected she dismissed. After the bandages were secured she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You're going to be fine." She said, offering a friendly smile as she left the room.

As soon as they were alone Draked looked up to Josh. He seemed so distant, lost in the thoughts of what had happened. "Thank you." he said softly. "For saving me, for staying with me." he added, gripping Josh's hand tightly.

Josh squezzed his hand back, offering a tired smile. "I'd do it again." he said. And he would.

"Do you think we'll go to jail, for killing them?" Drake asked shakily.

"I don't know..." Josh replied, sitting down next to Drake. He'd been trying not to think about it. He hadnt known that he'd killed one of them. He hadnt meant to... It felt unreal, knowing that he'd killed a man. Him, the goofy kid who'd never really hurt anyone. He supossed he should have felt something more, guilt, sorrow. But right now he just felt an empty acceptance. He'd done what he had to to save his brother, and he would never regret that.

"If we do," Josh said, looking at Drake. "I'll be by your side."

"I'll be by yours too." Drake replied.

They were startled as the door to the room opened, Dr. Stein looking over them with a quiet smile. "Your parents are here, you boys are free to leave."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Audrey and Walter stood in the hospitle lobby, shaking with anxiety as they waited to see their boys. They'd been so worried from the moment they'd recieved the first phone call from the men who had kidnapped Drake, when they had gotten Josh's text they'd fully paniced. And now they were back in the hospitle, waiting for that moment when they could see with their own eyes that their boys were okay.

Officer Miles stood with them as they waited, explaining the situation to them. The boys were okay, two of the men who'd done this were in police custody, the other two were dead.

"What's going to happen to the boys?" Audrey asked, worry coating every word.

"They arent being charged," Miles said. "It was in self defence." He wouldnt send them to jail for protecting themselves. Even though Josh had gone in on his own. he was just protecting his brother, possibly saved his life. It was against his own morals to through a kid into jail for doing whatever it took to protect someone he loved. And when Josh had told him about what had happened, that he hadnt meant to kill him, he'd believed it.

"Thank you." Audrey whispered, tears falling from her eyes.

The moment the boys stepped out from the hallway she was running toward them. The tears pushed from her eyes as she took them both into her arms, holding them as tightly as she could. They were alive! She felt two sets af arms wrap around her as she whispered to them how much she loved them.

Josh pulled away, seeing the tears on his dad's face, the relief in his eyes. He ran toward his father and hugged him as tightly as he could. "I'm proud of you." Walter said as he held Josh close. He pulled away only enough to be able to look Josh in the eyes. "You did the right thing."

"Thanks dad." Josh replied before hugging his father again.

Audrey held Drake so tightly she thought that she'd break him. She never wanted to let him go, to let him out of her sight. Not after how close she'd come to loosing him. She couldnt begin to imagine how he was feeling right now, after everything that had happened, she just wanted to be there for him as he delt with it. To hold him and encourage him past it all.

"I love you so much." She whispered, pulling away from him to look at his face. There was so much hurt in his eyes.

"I love you too." he looked around the lobby, not seeing meghan anywhere. "Is Meghan okay?"

The last time he had seen her she'd been knocked unconcious after trying to help him. He'd been so cruel when she'd tried to apologize.

"She's fine." Audrey said. "She's worried, she was blaming herself for them taking you." There were fresh tears in her eyes.

Walter and Josh aproached them quietly, Walter immediently pulled Drake into his arms. He'd been so worried about Drake. He hadnt felt like he'd been there enough for the boys after they'd been raped. But he planned on fully being for them now.

"lets go home." he said with a tired smile.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

From the outside their house looked like ay other. No one could look at it and know of the things that had happened within its sturdy walls, or to the peole who called it home. It was a strong house, and within it a strong family resided.

As soon as they entered the house meghan was there, tears in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Drake. She'd seen the bandages on his arms and her guilt thickened. "I'm so sorry." She whispered between sobs.

Slowly, he wrapped his arms round her. He didnt say anything, just hugged her as she cried into his chest.

After a quick meal the boys went up to their room. They were ready to be alone, to just reflect and take in everything that had happened. They were exhausted, phisically and emotionally. Their parents had understood, and had watched them walk up the stairs while holding back the need to just be with them. Their boys were home, and they were safe. Right now they couldnt ask for more then that.

Josh was sitting on his bed, Drake on the couch when Meghan knocked at the door. She didnt wait for them to tell her it was okay to come in, she just entered the room, looking at her brothers with tear stained eyes. She knew that they were angry with her, that they may never forgive her, but she needed them to know that she was sorry.

"I know that yo guys hate me," She started, voice trembling as she looked at each of them. 'But I want you to know that i'm really sorry." Her voice broke as the tears began falling again. "I never meant for any of this to happen, I just wanted to get you out of the house so I could boby trap your room..." She turned her eyes to he floor. "I wish that I could take it all back, so that it never happened. I'm," She paused as the sobs came forth. "I'm so sorry. I know you can't forgive me, I just, I wanted you to know that I'm sorry." She sobbed as she turned toward the bedroom door.

"Meghan..." Drake said quietly as he watched her turn to leave.

She paused in her tracks, preparred for the worst. She'd set in motion a terrible chain of events.

Drake pulled himself off of the couch, looking at her with a sence of pity. No matter how evil she could be, he knew that she hadnt wanted this. Without warning Drake pulled her into a tigh embrace, holding her as she cried.

"I don't blame you." he said. he couldnt blame the actions of those guys on her, no matter how angrey or hurt he was. He knew, had known, that she hadnt meant for it to happen like it did. He didnt want her to blame herself, to hurt herself like he had. "It wasnt your fault."

Hesitantly, Josh crawled out of bed and joined the hug. He was still angry with her, but like Drake, he'd realized that it wasnt her fault. "It's okay," he said softly. "I don't hate you."

"Thank you," She sobbed.


End file.
